The Pit

Chapters

Episode 2: Misty Eyes
Episode 3: A Dish Best Served Cold
Episode 4: A Night Out On the Town
Episode 5: A Familiar Face
Episode 7: The Beginning of a Roaring Thunder
Episode 8: An Acquired Taste
Episode 9: Ash to Ash
Episode 10: The Greeter of War
Episode 11: Do You Remember?
Episode 1: A One Way Trip
Episode 6: The End of a Soothing Rain

Episode 2: Misty Eyes

Chapter 5 - The way I earn my bits

Everypony was in a line. We were all getting directions to our living quarters inside the city. When it got up to me, I found out I was staying in the same apartment as Vanilla. I heard Kage and Kynes were going to live together and Deep Blue was going to live alone. We were all staying in the same apartment complex.

Pretty soon everypony left to their housing. Vanilla and I entered our apartment. Kage and Kynes lived right next door.

Our apartment was pretty small. Not as elegant as my room on the ship. The bed still looked like it could hold two full grown ponies, but the sheets were just an off-white colour. The flooring was a brown carpet and the walls were just simple wood.

I sat on the bed. I was still in pain and Vanilla seemed like she could tell.

She walked over to me and laid me down on the bed, “You need to rest, sweetie. You had a big day.”

I smiled and let her put me in bed. I closed my eyes and felt her lay down with me and put her head on my chest. I opened my eyes and just thought. I didn’t move so I didn’t disturb her.

So this island's name is The Pit? That’s strange. What do I do here? I should look around tomorrow. Find a way to earn some bits. I don’t want Vanilla to have to sell herself to prostitution. I’ll make sure she never has to do that again.

She began to sleep and breath softly. She was adorable. I decided I should rest, too. I kissed her on her head and drifted off.

*~*~*

I woke up and saw Vanilla was still laying on my chest. I don’t understand how I woke up before her. I should be the one sleeping.

She looked up at me while stretching and yawning, “Good Morning, darling.”

I looked into her eyes and couldn’t resist yawning, too. I smiled, “Good Morning. I was thinking about going out today to find a way to earn bits.”

Vanilla sighed, “I’m a prostitute. How many times do I have to say that. I earn bits for the both of us.”

I shook my head, “No. I don’t want you doing that anymore.”

Vanilla sat up in bed, “That’s my special talent, honey. If I don’t do that,” she sighed “what else am I gonna do?”

She’s right. She said that was her talent.

No.

I refuse to believe that. There should be something else, “Have you ever tried baking?”

Vanilla smiled, “You just don’t like the idea of me having sex with other stallions, do you?”

I asked again without hesitation, “Have you ever tried baking?”

“No. You think I should, darling?”

I got out of bed, “Yes. See what it’s like.”

Vanilla got out of bed quickly and ran infront of me before I could get up, “But I don’t want you to have to work! I want you to be happy, and if that means selling my body for bits, so be it.”

I smiled and hugged her, “I would be happier if you didn’t.”

Vanilla blushed, “Ok. I’ll see what I can do.”

I headed out the door into the city. The hallways in this complex were so dark. The outside had little improvement. It was lighter, but everything just seemed grey.

I walked down the street and found a watchmaker's shop. A sign on the outside said “Help Wanted”.

I opened the door and came inside the building. Inside I saw a little pegasus filly with a sky blue coat, misty purple mane with dark purple highlights that almost seemed like clouds and light green eyes behind the counter playing with the service bell.

I walked up to her and she looked up at me and asked, “And what can I do for you, sir?”

I couldn’t help but smile, “Is the owner of the shop around?”

She put the service bell down, “You mean daddy? I think he’s sleeping.”

She ran up the stairs and screamed “Daddy” continuously. I smiled and sat in a chair that was set off to the side for customers.

I waited for a few moments until I heard somepony walking down the stairs. I got up and saw a stallion wearing a suit with a light brown coat, dark brown mane that was mostly covered with a hat and misty grey eyes.

He walked behind the counter, “What did you need, sir?”

I put my hooves on the counter, “I’d like a job here.”

The pony laughed and looked out at the help wanted sign, “You must be asking about the help wanted sign? Well, it’s nothing to do with clocks.”

I was surprised. If it’s nothing about making clocks and watches, what was it for?

I looked at the pony, “What does the job entail?”

The stallion laughed, “I need someone to look after my daughter while I’m busy. Her name is Misty Eyes. She’s a good filly, but you never know when they’re this young when they might do something incredibly stupid.”

Misty Eyes looked up at her dad, “Hey! That’s not fair!”

The stallion chuckled, “So are you interested in the job?”

“Yes. I think I’ll take it.” I smiled at Misty Eyes.

The stallion walked around the counter and shook my hoof, “Excellent! The pay is twenty bits an hour and you begin today.”

I shook his hoof back, “That sounds wonderful. My name is Digi-glow.”

The stallion smiled, “It’s nice to meet you Digi-glow. The name’s Mr. Chyne.”

Chapter 6 - A stallion with a secret

I’ve been looking after Misty Eyes for a few hours now. She’s just been playing with dolls and drawing. Being adorable seems to be her special talent even though she doesn’t have a cutie mark just yet it seems.

Her dad has been out for a while. He said he was going to pick up some groceries, but would it take this long? From what I saw, the market wasn’t that far from the shop.

Misty Eyes came up to me and tapped me while I was sitting, “Do you know when my daddy will be back?”

I looked down at her and saw the cute filly looking up at me, “I don’t know, Misty. Does this happen often?”

Misty sighed and looked down, “Yeah. That’s the reason he needed someone to watch after me,” she quickly looked back up at me, “why? Is something wrong?”

I got out of the chair, “I’m sure nothing’s wrong, but I’m going to check your daddy’s room just in case. Stay here and be a good filly, ok?”

Misty Eyes nodded and went back to drawing. I walked to Mr. Chyne’s room to see if there might be something there that could give me a clue as to where he is.

Inside his room was a desk stacked with papers. Some of the papers seemed to have fallen on the red carpet. The bed was a mess. He had a shelf with many varying books and documents on it. To find a clue as to where he might have gone could take a while.

First I searched through the papers on the desk. They all seemed to be clients that ordered clocks to be made, however, there were some that were out of the stack that had times and places written on them.

I moved to the books after the desk and found most of them were on different fighting techniques. One book was a journal that had names and schedules, almost like the papers I found on the desk.

What was this pony up to? Whatever it was, it didn’t have to do with business. At least, it didn’t look like it did. I don’t think you would need to know somepony else’s schedule. Maybe I should look more into this before I confront him. I wouldn’t even begin to know where to start if I confronted him right now.

While I was thinking, I heard the door at the front of the shop open. I quickly put everything back the way it was before and rushed out of the room to where Misty was. I made it back and saw Misty was still drawing, so I sat in the chair that I was in before.

I heard a pony open the door and saw it was Mr. Chyne. Of course. Who else would it be?

Misty quickly got up and ran to her father and hugged him, “Daddy!”

Mr. Chyne smiled and knelt down to hug Misty back. He stood back and looked at me, “So how was Digi, Misty? Did you enjoy his company?”

Misty looked up to her father, “Yes. He is a very nice stallion and I was very good for him.”

Misty smiled and Mr. Chyne laughed, “Oh really? Was she a good filly, Digi?”

I smiled and got out of the chair, “Yes, sir. She was an angel. She was no trouble at all.”

“Good. How was your day, sweetie?” Mr. Chyne looked down at Misty.

Misty ran to her drawing and showed it to her father, “It was great! See what I made!?”

It was a picture of Misty and Mr. Chyne at a grave. Mr. Chyne shed a small tear, “Your mother would have loved it”

Misty looked down and Mr. Chyne picked her up, “It’s time to go to bed, Misty.”

I walked with him while he took Misty to her room. Why did she draw that? And why did he tear up? Mr. Chyne laid her in bed and tucked her in, “Goodnight, sweetie.” he kissed her on the forehead.

I just stood out in the hallway and waited until he came out, “So why did she draw that?”

Mr. Chyne looked at me and then looked away, “Her mother died when she was about five. It’s been two years now.”

I just stared at him, “I’m sorry... how did she die?”

He didn’t speak for a little while and then he turned back to me, “Thank you for watching my daughter, Digi. Here,” he handed me the bits, “I’ll need you again tomorrow, if that’s ok?”

I nodded slightly, “Yeah. That’s fine.”

“Good.” Mr. Chyne just walked back to the front office and I followed.

I left the shop and walked back to the apartment complex. I wonder why Mr. Chyne didn’t tell me how his wife died? I guess I should just leave it alone, but what was he hiding? Those names, places, and times. What did they mean?

I made it back to my apartment and opened the door to see Vanilla lying on the bed wearing very revealing clothing just looking at me.

I blushed and looked away, “What are you doing?”

She sat up, “Oh, I’ve just been waiting for you.”

I looked back at her, “Not now, Vanilla.”

Vanilla noticed I wasn’t in such a good mood and stood up, “What’s wrong, honey?”

I walked over to her and hugged her tightly, “Nothing. I’ll be fine. Just promise me you’ll be safe.”

She paused for a moment, but hugged back, “I will, Digi. Don’t worry.”

I kissed her on her forehead and opened the door. She grabbed my arm before I could leave, “Wait. Where are you going?”

I turned around to her, “I’m going to talk to Deep Blue about something.”

She let go and I left. I was thinking maybe Deep Blue knew something about Mr. Chyne. If he did, it would help out to clear some things up.

As I was walking down to Deep Blue’s apartment, I heard somepony whistling. I looked around, but couldn’t see anything. The whistle came again and this time I saw a hoof waving inside an open door.

I slowly walked toward the door. The hoof seemed to be waving me inside. The apartment it was in looked dark, yet I continued.

When I got close to the door, the hoof reached to me and yanked me inside. All of a sudden I saw a pony on top of me wearing a mask and a hat along with a black suit.

I tried to get out from underneath the pony, but I was stuck. I opened my mouth, but he quickly covered my mouth with his hoof, “What were you doing looking in my room?!”

I looked at him with wide eyes. No. This couldn’t be. Could it?

He let go of my mouth so I could answer his question, “Mr. Chyne? Is that you?!”

He punched me, “What were you doing?!”

That punch hurt, so I decided to just answer the question, “You were gone for a while, so I was just looking to see if there was something you were hiding!”

He just paused and then stood up. He put his hoof out to help me up. I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. Once I was up, he punched me in the stomach and I fell to my knees.

“You know. You shouldn’t look in other ponies things. Is that why you looked like that when you came into my shop?”

I got back up, “No, sir. That was because I defended a mare from getting abused by a stallion.”

He grimaced and took off his mask, “Glad you fought him, but it looks like you lost.”

“No, sir. I didn’t. I beat him, and now he’s in jail.”

Mr. Chyne smiled, “Good. Well then. I’ll see you around, Digi. Keep your nose clean, or you might lose your job.”

Mr. Chyne put his mask back on and opened up a window like he was gonna jump out of it, “Wait!” he looked around to me, “You never answered my question.”

Mr. Chyne looked down, “My wife is what you’re speaking of, I suppose?”

He sighed and looked back at me, “She was sick. With what, I do not know. That’s all you need to know.”

He turned back and jumped out the window. I looked out, but he was already gone. I sighed and decided to just go back to my apartment. There was no point in talking to Deep Blue.

When I got back, Vanilla was already asleep. I just snuggled up to her and drifted off.

Chapter 7 - Getting answers

I woke up early the next morning. Vanilla was still asleep, so I kissed her on her forehead and got dressed and headed for the shop.

I wanted to figure out what Mr. Chyne was doing. Why was he wearing a mask, and why did he not like that I looked through his room a little?

When I got to the shop, he was standing behind the counter, “Ah. Hello, Digi. I trusted you slept well last night?”

I scratched my head with my hoof and smiled, “Well, I hit my head on something.”

Mr. Chyne laughed, “You should be more careful, Digi. Now I have to go again today, so I’ll leave you here with Misty. She’s up in her play room right now like last time.”

I nodded, “I have a question, sir.”

Mr. Chyne walked toward the door, “And what is that, Digi?”

“What were you doing last night?”

Mr. Chyne stopped in the doorway and turned around, “Sometimes, Digi, a pony needs to stop the dark deeds of the night,” he turned around and walked out, “especially if no pony else will.”

Dark deeds of the night? Does he mean evil ponies?

No matter. I needed to look after Misty. I walked up to the play room and saw her playing with her dolls. She got up and ran to me hugging my legs, “Hello, Digi!”

I looked down at her and smiled, “Hello, Misty.”

She let go of me and continued playing as I sat down in the chair. Was watching her this easy all the time? She never did anything bad. She just sat there playing and drawing. I just watched her and then I heard something that broke my heart.

She had two dolls, one was a small filly, the other was a mare. The mare was laying down and the filly was standing over her while she said, “Wake up, mommy. Please. Wake up.”

I shed a small tear, “Do you miss her, Misty?”

Misty turned to me and looked down, “Daddy said we’ll see her again someday. She was just really tired and needed a nap,” she looked back up to me, “but I didn’t think naps would take this long.”

I tried to smile for her, “You’ll see her one day. Later. For right now, she’d want you to be happy.”

Misty stood up, “But why is she still asleep?!”

I looked Misty in the eyes, “Sometimes ponies need a really long nap. It’s hard to be happy forever. You need to rest at some point.”

She sat back down, “I guess so.”

Misty continued to play and I just sat and watched. A couple hours passed. I fed her some carrot sticks for lunch. She ate them all and just went back to playing. She seemed so distant. Probably due to the loss of her mother.

After a while, Mr. Chyne came back from whatever he was doing. He payed me my bits. He was limping for some reason when he got back, but he wouldn’t say why.

I decided to stop by Kage and Kynes place to see what they were up to. When I got there, I knocked on the door and Kynes let me in. It seemed like they were just sitting around talking.

Kynes was drinking some cider it seemed, “So how are you, Digi?”

I sat down on the bed, “Well I got a job now, but my boss is up to something. I know this for a fact.”

Kage looked at me, “What do you mean?”

“Well, he always leaves for the whole day and I saw him last night hiding his face.”

Kynes laughed, “If he was hiding his face, how do you know it was him?”

I laughed, too, realizing how ridiculous that sounded, “He took off the mask once.”

Kynes continued to drink the cider, “Have you tried seeing what he’s up to? Like spy on him?”

“Kind of. I looked through his room to see if there were any clues. All I found were a bunch of names, places, and times.”

Kage stepped in, “Well, I don’t know what he would be up to, Digi. Maybe you should look more into it, but onto another subject. What is this job you have?”

I smiled, “I look after his daughter. She’s very sweet.”

We talked for a little while longer. Once I left, I walked to my apartment. I opened the door and smelled something sweet from inside the kitchen. Cake maybe? I walked into the kitchen and saw Vanilla taking a cake out of a hot oven.

I’m not sure why, but I blushed at this and she turned around and smiled, “Welcome back home, darling. I baked a cake for us.”

I continued to stare at her, “It smells delicious. When do we eat?”

She placed it on the counter and looked at me, “It needs to cool off first. So how was your day?”

I walked toward her, “It was good. I went to see Kage and Kynes.”

She smiled and leaned against the counter, “Oh? And how are they doing?”

I took a few more steps toward her, “They seemed like they’re ok.”

Vanilla grabbed me and kissed me. I was surprised, but soon kissed back. We began to make out, her tongue inside my mouth. What the hell is this feeling? I’ve never had it before. I continued to make out with her as she took me to the bed. She laid down on the bed and took off all her clothes, which was surprisingly very little to begin with.

Oh Celestia. What is this feeling?! Seeing her like this. Her lush body. I couldn’t hold in this feeling any longer.

She smiled at me and began to rub her hoof over her moist vagina, “Are you ready, darling?”

I couldn’t help it. This feeling seemed to take over my body. I took off my clothes and laid beside her. We kissed again and I felt it happen. I was inside of her.

*~*~*

It lasted for about an hour or so. All the pleasure. It was amazing. I looked at Vanilla. We were still in the bed. I smiled at her, and she smiled back. There was another feeling I felt besides pleasure.

Love.

I think I... love Vanilla. And I think she loved me back.

I kissed her, “I love you.”

Vanilla blushed, “I love you, too. I think the cake is done now.”

I laughed and sat up. I put on my clothes and so did she. We walked into the kitchen and Vanilla got us a piece of cake. It was vanilla cake with strawberry icing and some cream filling in the middle. It tasted delicious.

We sat there even after we ate our cake and talked. This is the first time it seemed that we were able to. I held her hoof and we both blushed. Is this what love felt like? Intimate love?

A few more minutes passed of us talking and we went back into bed to sleep. It was still slightly warm from earlier. We both drifted off to sleep. We were tired.

It was late at night when I woke up to somepony knocking on the door. Vanilla also woke up. I got out of bed and walked to the door. Why was somepony here at this time of night?

I opened the door and saw a very worried Mr. Chyne. He didn’t say anything and just stepped inside. I shut the door and turned to him, “What’s wrong?”

Mr. Chyne glanced around the apartment and turned back to me, “I think they know who I am.”

I was very confused and I could see Vanilla was, too, “What are you talking about, Mr. Chyne?”

The stallion stumbled and began to tear up, “They took Misty.”

Chapter 8 - The beginning of a long night

I kissed Vanilla goodbye and left with Mr. Chyne to his shop. He said he had to get “dressed”, and by that he meant put on his clothes that he was wearing when I saw him the night before with the mask.

Once he did that, he told me he knew exactly where Misty was going to be.

We were walking outside toward the destination, “How do you know she’ll be there?”

Mr. Chyne kept looking forward, “I just know. This pony has been watching me. A criminal. A murderer.”

I was surprised, “A murderer?”

“Yes, Digi. I’ve been trying to get him for a few days now, but it seems as if he’s gotten me. I will not let him hurt my Misty.”

I didn’t want Misty to get hurt either. She seemed to have found her way into my heart. Mr. Chyne began to run down the street, so I followed close behind. I believe we were almost there.

We made it to an old warehouse. The chain on the door was broken, so Mr. Chyne just opened it. It was dark inside. I made my horn glow so we could see. Junk was piled up on shelves all around us. I turned to Mr. Chyne, “How do you know he’s in here?”

He pointed his hoof toward a pony with a gun, “That’s how.”

The pony shot at us, but Mr. Chyne jumped out of the way and got me out of the way, too. I was pushed outside the warehouse and the door shut. I tried to open it, but it locked itself, too. I could hear gunshots inside, so I knew Mr. Chyne would be too busy to help me, so I needed to find another way in.

I looked around the warehouse and saw a ladder leading up to an open window. It seemed a little too easy, but I wasn’t going to complain. I started to climb up. Is this a trap? If it is, I don’t care. I just need to get in there and help Mr. Chyne and save Misty.

I got to the top and didn’t see anypony inside. I hoped through the window and walked toward a door in the room I was in. I opened it and I saw a stairway leading down. I could also see out to the rest of the warehouse. It looked like a fire was in the middle of everything. Almost like a campfire.

I went down the first flight of stairs and saw a pony holding a gun. I did not want to deal with him, so I quickly shoved him off the stair rail, falling to his death.

Wait...

Did I just kill a pony? Am I a murderer for doing that?

No... I can’t be. He was going to try to kill me.

I snapped out of it. I needed to save Misty, and my bits were on her being in the middle of the warehouse where that fire was.

I ran past the dead pony and headed toward the center. I could still hear gunfire where Mr. Chyne was. I was running so fast. My heart was beating almost like when I was with Vanilla. Was this adrenaline?

I eventually made it to the center and saw the fire, but nopony was here. I looked around and saw a note on the table.

It read, “Hello, Mr. Chyne. I know you killed my brother. I know why you did it, too. It’s because he raped that mare and killed her.”

I twitched and gagged slightly, but continued to read, “Well now I have your daughter. I can’t wait to see what’s inside her little body. I’m going to cut it up, and then I’m going to find you, and I’m going to kill you.”

No...

Not Misty. I began to cry. The gunfire stopped and I heard a pony come closer. I turned around and saw Mr. Chyne.

He saw me crying, “What’s wrong?”

I handed him the note and he read it. He looked at me, “No,” he turned around and started to knock over everything, “No! NO! NO!!!”

I tried to walk toward him, but he would have punched me in his anger. I knew he would. He looked at me, “We have to find her. If I’m right, we can still get to him. This was just a trap. A trap that he set up, so he couldn’t have gotten far. I think I know where he is.”

Without hesitation, Mr. Chyne ran out the warehouse and I followed. He lead me to an abandoned freezer room. The place was very misty, so I could barely see five hooves in front of me.

I walked around. I could faintly hear the sound of a blade sharpening against steel. It echoed all around me, so I didn’t know where it was coming from. I looked around me and noticed something.

Mr. Chyne wasn’t with me. He entered this building with me, didn’t he?

I heard him call out, “Digi?!”

I looked around and answered back, “Yes?! I’m here!”

“I don’t know where you are in here, but keep your eyes out for Misty! This place is pretty big!”

I looked around and started to walk down some stairway to a basement. The blade began to get louder. At the bottom of the stairway was a door. I could smell something disgusting on the other side. It almost made me vomit.

I opened up the door slowly and saw a room filled with ponies hanging by hooks in their mouths. They were completely gutted, some with their intestines hanging out on the floor. All rotting.

This did make me vomit. All of that cake I had with Vanilla. Who could do this? Who could do this to ponies?

I looked back up and wiped my mouth, the smell of death filled the air. I saw a pony with a scarlet coat and a orange, ruffled short mane with a blade.

He turned around slowly toward me with this evil grin on his face. I saw Misty tied up behind him.

He began to walk toward me slowly while smiling, “Good! You came to visit me. What’s your name, little pony?”

I stepped back and hesitated. He laughed and continued to walk toward me, “There’s no need to be scared...”

The pony looked up and chuckled then looked back to me, “No. Actually there is. I’d like it if you’d scream when I slice you open.”

I continued to step back but he continued to walk toward me, “Wh-who are you?”

He laughed, “I’m hurt that you don’t know me! I’m Crimson Tear,” he looked at the dead ponies and smiled, “but my friends here call me The Butcher.”

Episode 3: A Dish Best Served Cold

Chapter 9 - The Butcher

He continued walking toward me, his blade dragging against the ground, “Please tell me your name. I want to know the meat I’ll be hanging later.”

I looked at Misty behind the crazed pony. She was crying. A little filly didn’t need to be in a place like this. A little filly shouldn’t ever be in a place like The Pit! She needs to be in a place like... Equestria.

Thoughts of that place flooded back, but there is no time to think of them now. I needed to save Misty, but I couldn’t just run past him. I’d just turn into one of The Butcher’s “friends”.

I turned around and ran out the door. Luckily I heard him chase after me. I’m glad he didn’t just turn back to Misty.

I began to run up the stairs, but I tripped and fell. Turning myself onto my back, I saw Crimson Tear smiling walking slowly above me. I tried to get up onto my back hooves, but I saw his blade coming down upon my head.

I moved out of the way and his blade crashed into the stairs. I quickly slid down the stairs in between his back hooves, getting back up and making my way to Misty.

I heard Crimson Tear running after me and I dared not to turn around. I made it to Misty, but I knew I wouldn’t have time to untie her. I had to take care of The Butcher first.

When I turned around, I saw the blade slicing toward me. I tried to dodge, but it was too quick. I felt the blade pierced into my side, causing me to fall down in pain.

I gripped my side and looked up, seeing the crazed pony smile above me, “So it seems the pony wants to save the little filly.”

I began to crawl away but his blade stopped me, “NO! I will not allow it! You will be my new friend and so will the filly. We’ll have fun, I promise.”

Friend? What is this pony talking about?!

I looked down at my side. It wasn’t a fatal gash, thankfully, but it was bleeding a lot. I saw a trail of blood left from when I was crawling. That made me kind of nauseous. I started to feel cold. Maybe this was a fatal wound. Maybe this is my time to... die.

Crimson Tear lifted his blade above his head, “We’ll be the best of friends!”

No. I can’t give up this easily.

I kicked my hoof, tripping him and making him drop his blade. Once he fell, I quickly got up and tried to pick up the blade, but he already had it in his grasp. I stomped on his hoof while he was still on the ground to make him drop it again.

I reached down to grab it, but the pain of my side pulled me down to my knees. I felt blood gush out and I began to feel colder. This pain was unbearable.

I felt Crimson Tear punch me in the back of the head, causing me to fall onto the ground and turn onto my back. I saw the pony breathing in deeply and holding the hoof I stomped on.

He grabbed my leg and started to take me away to an empty hook, “It seems like you’re about ready to hang. You look pale. Oh so pale. Like the moon.”

He turned around while continuing to drag me and smiled, “Oh yes. Your blood trail. You’re losing quite a bit of your fluids, aren’t you?”

I looked at the trail of my blood. He was right. I was losing a lot and I was getting pale. I looked at Misty and saw her crying. I looked back at Crimson Tear and saw him messing with the empty hooks.

He looked down at me, “Welcome to your new home, friend.”

He lifted me up and stood me in between the hooks. He thought I was too weak to fight back, so he just let go of me and grabbed one of the hooks. I grabbed the other one quickly, jamming it into his eye. Making sure it stuck in. I could feel the blood on my hoof seeping out of his head.

He stepped back and blood streamed down his face, “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”

I jumped on top of Crimson Tear making the hook rip out of his eye and creating a scratch up his head. I decided to stand back up and just leave him while I went to get his blade.

I ran to the blade and heard him get back up. I got to it, picked it up, and when I turned around, I saw Crimson Tear running toward me, “You piece of shit!”

I held up the blade just in time for him to run into it, “DIE YOU BASTARD!”

The Butcher stumbled back. The blade was pierced into his stomach. He looked around the room at all the dead ponies, “Goodbye, friends. I have to go. I’m sorry.”

Crimson Tear fell down to his knees, then onto his side. A puddle of blood formed around him. I stood there looking at him while breathing in deeply. I turned back around to Misty and began to take her out of her bindings.

Once I did, Misty hugged me tightly, “DIGI! I was so scared!”

I hugged her back and picked her up. I made sure she didn’t see the dead pony. I didn’t want her to, but I saw him.

More blood was leaking out of him. His red coat faded. I killed him...

I killed a pony... and I’m happy? No... relieved.

I had to hold my side again. The pain was too much. I forgot about it while attacking Crimson Tear. Adrenaline I guess.

I walked out the door and shut it. Leaving the dead pony inside. I wanted him out of my mind. How could anypony do something like that? I looked at Misty and smiled. At least I got got her out of there.

I walked up the steps and saw Mr. Chyne running down them toward me, “Misty! You’re safe!”

I handed him Misty and continued to walk up the steps while holding my side. I needed help. The pain started to come at me full force.

Mr. Chyne finally seemed to notice my wound and the pain I was in, “Digi! What happened?! We need to quickly get you help,” the stallion helped me walk toward the exit, “I would believe your home would be a good place to take you. Hospitals aren’t very... trustworthy here.”

I just continued to walk with the help of Mr. Chyne. I could feel myself beginning to pass out. I couldn’t just pass out now, though. I had to at least make it to my apartment. I didn’t want Mr. Chyne to go through all that trouble.

It was a few minutes of walking, but we made it to the apartment complex. I looked at Mr. Chyne, “Thank you for taking me back.”

Mr. Chyne looked back at me, “No. I’m the one who should be thanking you for saving my Misty,” he looked down at my side, “I am so very sorry that you got hurt.”

I looked forward and just focused on walking down the hallway toward my apartment, “It’s nothing compared to the pain I would have felt if Misty died.”

When we entered the doorway of my apartment, I couldn’t stand any longer. The pain was too much. I fell to the ground and passed out.

Chapter 10 - Mr. Chyne

A few hours passed it seems when I finally woke up. As I opened my eyes, feeling the crust break, I saw Mr. Chyne sitting next to me.

I quickly sat up to see where Misty was, but I was pulled back down by the pain. I looked at my side under the covers and saw it was stitched. Mr. Chyne put his hoof on my shoulder, “You should rest, Digi. You’ve got quite the wound.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but my throat was too dry. Mr. Chyne passed me water and smiled, “Drink this. Misty is fine. She’s helping your wife bake a cake.”

After I drank some of the water, I laughed and looked at Mr. Chyne, “She isn’t my wife.”

Mr. Chyne looked into the kitchen, “Oh. It just seemed... nevermind. I have decided I need to answer a few of your questions. I pulled you into this, so you deserve to know.”

Is he talking about the reason he wears that mask and sneaks around at night? I laid back down in my bed and listened to him. He sighed, “I’ve killed many ponies, Digi.”

He killed before? Well, I do remember that letter said he killed Crimson Tear’s brother. He continued to speak, “I’ve killed ponies who aren’t good. Murderers, thieves, and others alike. Ponies who sicken me. The scum on the side of an already green pond. I clear the water. Do you understand, Digi?”

I looked at him, “You protect other ponies from the bad ones?”

He chuckled, “Yes. The reason for this is-”

Mr. Chyne was interrupted by a flour covered Misty running into the room, “The pie is done!”

He smiled, “I’ll tell you more later, Digi. For now we should eat and you should rest. Here. I’ll help you to the table.”

Mr. Chyne pulled a wheelchair out from the corner of the room. Once he did, I sat in it and he pushed me into the kitchen where I saw Misty standing up on a chair and Vanilla setting down an apple pie onto the table.

It smelled delicious. When I got to the table, Vanilla sat beside me and held my hoof, “Are you ok, darling?”

I looked at her and smiled, “I’ll be fine. I just need to heal.”

She sighed and kissed me. She then began to cut the pie and give pieces to all of us. It not only smelled delicious, but it tasted delicious, too.

Once we were done eating, I was taken back to my bed and put into it. Vanilla laid down with me and offered Mr. Chyne and Misty to stay as guests. Mr. Chyne agreed and went off to the guest room to get ready for bed.

Vanilla rolled over to look at me while I could only move my head to look at her. She smiled and sighed, “Why did you get yourself hurt, honey?”

I looked back up, “I had to save Misty. If that meant getting hurt, so be it.”

She sighed and kissed me on the cheek, “I want you to be careful. I promised you that I would.”

I turned my head to her, “Ok. I’ll try and be more careful.”

She smiled, “Good. How is your cut?”

She took the covers off to see my wound. It wasn’t bleeding anymore, but it was still red and my coat was still pale around it, “I hope it heals well, but judging by your past and how well you coped with everything, I’d say you’ll be fine.”

She laid back down and pulled the covers over us again. I hope she was right. I hope it healed well.

After a while, Vanilla and I fell asleep.

*~*~*

When I woke up, Vanilla was already out of bed and in the kitchen. Mr. Chyne and Misty seemed like they were, too. I stood up and began to walk into the kitchen. I was still in pain, but it seemed like I could walk.

When I got into the kitchen, Vanilla quickly rushed to me and help me walk to the table, “What are you doing, Digi?!”

I sat down, “I can walk now. It’s ok. I’m feeling better.”

Vanilla sighed and placed breakfast in front of us. As we ate, no pony really spoke, and once we were done, I went straight back to bed. I hope this monotonous lifestyle ends soon.

Once I was back in bed, Vanilla had to go out and get groceries and Misty went with her to help. Mr. Chyne stayed to look after me, but I also knew he wanted to talk more.

Mr. Chyne sat next to me, “So, I believe we were discussing the reason for why I kill evil ponies?”

I nodded and he continued, “It began with my father. He was lost in a drunken state. Never sober. Always hating me and my mother.”

Mr. Chyne stood up and began walking around, “He would always abuse my mother, and when I stepped in the way, he would turn his hoof to me. As the years passed, his abusive nature only increased. My mother only stayed for me. She loved me very much.”

He shed a tear, “One day, I woke up to only find my father and some of his friends sitting in the living room. This unsettled me. I asked him where mother was, and he just laughed. He told me to check the bedroom, so I did.”

He gulped and started to cry, “I saw her, sprawled across the blood drenched bed. She was cut open and shaved, her eyes gouged out, and she looked like she had been gang raped. The worst part... it was my sixth birthday. A bow was on her head, my cake stuffed in her body, and her blood spelled out “Happy Birthday, Fucker!” on the wall.”

The stallion turned back to me and tried to regain his composure, but couldn’t, “I went back out into the living room. Anger swelled up into my heart. Hatred for the evil. I wanted them to feel how I felt, and that was dead. When I walked back into that room, my father and his friends all said “Happy Birthday! Hope you liked the cake and the present!”, I looked at them with anger in my eyes. They asked me what was wrong.”

Mr. Chyne turned around and punched the wall, “At that moment, it was the first time I actually yelled at my father. His friends stood up to leave, and my dad stood up to beat me. He tried to punch me, but this time I got out of the way. I hurried to one of the empty bottles he had and broke it. I lost control. The hate and the anger just took me over, and I jumped onto one of my fathers friends, thrusting the bottle into his head and making sure he died.”

He turned back around, “I looked at the rest of his friends. They were stopped in their tracks. I made sure they didn’t leave. I tore them apart with my own hooves. You would be amazed how much strength you get when there’s enough anger in you.”

The stallion looked at the wall, “Once I turned back to my dad, I saw him cowering, sliding away from me toward a fireplace. He begged for mercy. So I asked him if he gave my mother any mercy. He just began to cry... I walked up to him. “I thought so.” I said, and then I picked up the fire poker and bashed his face in. Over and over again. As I felt his warm blood splash against me, I knew I was transformed into a new pony. Tick Tock, the little colt who was afraid to stand up for what was right died that day, along with his mother, and Mr. Chyne rose from the ashes.”

He looked at me, “I left for another place that day. I knew I couldn’t stay after what I had done. And that place was The Pit. More evil found me here, and now I hunt it out and kill it. Evil just like Crimson Tear. Just like my father.”

Mr. Chyne sat next to me again, “And that is why, Digi. Because nopony should go through what I went through.”

I understood. Ponies are capable of very evil things... Crimson Tear and Mr. Chyne’s father only prove this. I nodded at Mr. Chyne.

He smiled, put his hoof on my shoulder and got up, “You should rest, Digi. I’ll wake you when Vanilla gets back.”

I wasn’t going to argue. I knew I needed to sleep. I was still in pain, no matter how much I wanted it to end. So I closed my eyes and drifted off.

Chapter 11 - A question

Vanilla shook me awake. I rubbed my eyes and looked at her while yawning and smiling, “Hello, Vanilla.”

She smiled back and helped me into the kitchen, “It’s time to eat. Mr. Chyne said you’ve slept all day.”

Did I? I looked out the window and saw it was dark out. I scratched my head, “I guess I did.”

We all sat down and ate dinner. It was fruit salad. It wasn’t as good as the baked things Vanilla made, but it was fine. No one really talked that much while we ate. Vanilla offered Mr. Chyne to stay the night again and he agreed once more. I didn’t mind. I’m pretty sure he just wanted me to get well.

After we ate, Mr. Chyne sent Misty off to bed because he wanted to talk to Vanilla and I. I sat at the table with Vanilla waiting for him to get back. Neither one of us knew what this was about.

He walked back into the kitchen and sat down, “I have a favor to ask you both.”

I nodded and Vanilla held my hoof while she looked at Mr. Chyne, “What is the favor?”

He looked down to think and then looked back at us, “I would like you two to look after Misty.”

My eyes widened and Vanilla laughed lightly, “I don’t know if we can take care of a filly, Mr. Chyne. We’re not exactly at a stage to do that.”

Mr. Chyne looked at the wall to think and turned back to us, “That may be, but she almost died because of me the other night. If it wasn’t for Digi, she wouldn’t be here. I lead a dangerous life and I don’t want her to get harmed because of it. I believe you two would make for better guardians.”

I coughed, “But she’s your daughter, Mr. Chyne. We can’t just take her from you.”

He looked at me, “You won’t take her from me. I’m giving her to you so that this won’t happen to her again. Please.”

Mr. Chyne began to tear up slightly. I looked at Vanilla and she sighed, “Ok. We’ll look after her, but we’ll need some help. We aren’t exactly swimming in the bits.”

Mr. Chyne placed a bag on the table, “Inside there are five hundred bits. That should be enough to keep you going until you find another job.”

I looked inside the bag, and he was telling the truth. I had never seen so many bits. Mr. Chyne began to speak again, “Digi, I know you will be able to keep her happy. She really enjoyed it when you looked after her,” he turned to Vanilla, “and I think you would make for an excellent mother, Vanilla.”

She looked surprised at this statement. I’m sure no pony ever told her she’d be a good mother, let alone excellent. I turned to her and held her hoof, looking into her eyes, “I think you would be, Vanilla.”

I smiled and she blushed. I turned back to Mr. Chyne and nodded, “We’ll look after her.”

He smiled, “Thank you both so much. I’ll be leaving in the morning. I will tell Misty what will happen. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

Mr. Chyne left for the guest room and Vanilla helped me to bed. She snuggled up to me, “So you think I’ll be a good mother?”

I looked up at the ceiling, “No.”

I turned to her and saw she was frowning, “I think you’ll make an excellent mother.”

She looked back at me, her smile returned. She kissed me, “I don’t know, though. Will she like me? Will she look up to me?!”

She sat up in bed and put her hooves on her head, “I need to shape up! I need to act better. She might look up to me!”

I tugged Vanilla back so she’d lay down. I hugged her and kissed her on her cheek, “Everything will be fine. I can already tell she likes you.”

She sighed, “Ok. If you say so. Where will she sleep?”

I looked at the guest room and smiled. She looked and chuckled, “Oh. Right.”

Vanilla was cute. She was worried about looking after Misty. She was gonna be a mother.

Wait... that means I’ll be a... father.

I turned to Vanilla and kissed her. I began to snuggle up to her, “I love you so much.”

Vanilla blushed, “I-I love you, too, Digi. Why are you saying that right now?”

“I’m going to be a father!”

She laughed and cuddled with me, “Yes. You’re going to be a father.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Pretty soon, Vanilla and I fell asleep.

*~*~*

I woke up to see Misty standing on the side of the bed. She was poking me, “Digi. Are you up?”

I looked around. It was still night. I yawned, “Yeah. I’m up. Why aren’t you with your dad?”

She sighed, “He told me what’s going to happen. I wanted to come see how you felt about it.”

I looked at her, “I’m fine with it. What do you think about it?”

She crawled up on the bed and laid next to me, “I guess it could be fun,” she sighed, “but I’ll miss my daddy.”

I hugged her, “Maybe he’ll come to visit you sometimes. Just because he’s leaving you here with us doesn’t mean he’ll never come back.”

Misty smiled and hugged me back, “I guess you’re right. Thank you, Digi.”

She crawled out of the bed and went back into the guest room. I laid back down and closed my eyes, but I couldn’t fall back asleep. I was kind of excited I guess. I liked the idea of looking after Misty.

It took a few more minutes, but I eventually drifted off once again. Mr. Chyne was going to leave in the morning.

Chapter 12 - Fatherhood

It was early morning when I woke up. We all ate breakfast together and Mr. Chyne said his goodbyes. When we all went out of the apartment complex to see Mr. Chyne off, he pulled me over to tell me something. He wanted to say it without anyone else hearing for some reason.

We stood in an alley way. My wound was healing up nicely. I could actually stand for longer periods of time now. Mr. Chyne looked at me with a serious expression, “I don’t know if you realized, Digi, but The Pit isn’t normal.”

I scratched my head, “Yeah. I kind of noticed that.”

He grabbed my shoulders, “I don’t think you understand, Digi. This place is connected to another.”

I turned my head, “What?”

He turned around, “I wanted to tell you before I left. Another plane of existence is connected to The Pit. It leaks out into this place. That other plane is evil.”

He turned back to me, “I trust you do not understand, but you must believe me. I don’t know much about this, but I do know someone who does. I’ll send him your way. He calls himself “The Revenant” for some reason. He hunts down the things that leak over into this world.”

He began to walk out of the alleyway while I followed, “Digi. Make sure Misty stays safe. If you can, get her off of this island.”

I looked at him, “You mean get her to Equestria?”

He paused and looked at me, “I haven’t heard of that place in quite some time... Don’t speak of it here. Some ponies don’t take kindly to remember what they lost.”

I walked back to Vanilla and Misty. Mr. Chyne hugged Misty and walked off. While we watched him walk down the street, Vanilla asked me, “What did he tell you?”

I looked at her, “He just told me to make sure Misty keeps safe.”

We walked back up to the apartment. After a little while, there was a knock on the door.

I didn’t know who it would be. Vanilla opened the door and Deep Blue waited on the other side. I haven’t seen that pony in quite some time. I kind of missed him.

He walked inside, “So how are ya’, Digi?”

I sat up in bed. He saw my wound and ran up to me, “What happened, boi o?! What did I tell you about picking your battles wisely?”

I chuckled, “Yeah. I know. But the little filly was in danger.”

I pointed at Misty and Blue looked at her. He smiled, “So she was?”

He laughed lightly and knelt down next to the little filly, “Are you ok? What’s your name?”

Misty looked at Blue and hid her face slightly. She was a little shy, “M-my name is Misty Eyes.”

Blue laughed, “That’s a lovely name. My name’s Deep Blue, and I look after Digi over there.”

I laughed and Misty scratched her head, “You look after Digi? I didn’t know he needed somepony to look after him.”

Blue stood back up, “Oh yes. Especially Digi. He’s not very smart, you know,” he chuckled, “but he’s a good pony. Very strong willed.”

Misty giggled and ran into the kitchen with Vanilla. Blue chuckled and scratched his head while he came over to sit on the bed next to me. I looked at him, “So I’m not very smart, huh?”

He laughed, “Well... maybe sometimes.”

I laid back down, “So it’s nice to see you again.”

“It’s nice to see you, too, Digi, but I wasn’t expecting to see you like this.”

I looked at him, “Oh. Yeah. I wasn’t going to let Misty get hurt, though.”

“Yes. I understand. Just try to be more careful,” he chuckled, “so how have you and Vanilla been?”

I blushed, “We’ve been good.”

He laughed and stood up, “That’s good. So you two are looking after that filly now?”

“Yeah. She’s very sweet.”

“She seems like it. I’m sure you two will do a good job,” Blue walked toward the door, “I have to go. It was nice to come and visit you again. I should do it more often. Goodbye, Digi.”

He walked out the door, “Goodbye, Blue!”

Vanilla walked out of the kitchen while stirring batter, “Did Blue leave?”

I looked at Vanilla, “Yeah. He said he was busy. What are you making?”

She walked back into the kitchen, “Misty and I are making cake.”

I laid back down. I couldn’t help but think about what Mr. Chyne said. What did he mean? Connected?

I began to smell the cake in the oven. It smelled delicious.

Wait... So nopony wanted to hear about Equestria here? They didn’t want to remember?

They chose to forget. Why would they choose that? Why would you want to forget about a place like Equestria?

I got out of bed and walked into the kitchen. I didn’t want to sleep right now. I sat down at the table and Vanilla walked over to me, “Are you ok, honey?”

I looked at Vanilla, “Yeah. I just got some things on my mind. How is the cake coming along?”

She smiled, “It’s cooking right now,” she looked at Misty, “Misty is quite the little helper.”

Misty smiled and I smiled back, “Well that’s good. I’m glad you two are having fun.”

We continued to talk until the cake was done. It was strawberry with lemon icing, and tasted delicious. When we were done, Misty went into the guest room to go to bed. Me and Vanilla laid down and she cuddled with me, “So what did you have on your mind?”

I looked up at the ceiling, “We need to get Misty out of this place.”

She paused for a second, “Do you mean,” she paused again, “try to take her to Equestria?”

I smiled and looked at her, “Yes. She shouldn’t be here. This isn’t a place for a filly.”

She sighed and laid her head on my chest, “I guess you’re right. For right now we should sleep, though, honey.”

I chuckled, “Ok. Goodnight, Vanilla.”

She sighed and smiled, “Goodnight, Digi.”

*~*~*

It’s been a few weeks now. My wound has healed enough for me to go out. It’s still sore, though. I’m going to find out what Mr. Chyne meant. I’m going to end this connection. I’m going to find a way to get Misty to Equestria.

I’m going to stop this evil that is leaking out, but first, I have to find this “Revenant”.

Episode 4: A Night Out On the Town

Chapter 13 - The Oasis

Kage and Kynes invited me to a club, so I decided to go with them. I wanted to talk to them some more, anyways. After all, I needed to get better acquainted with the town, and who knows, maybe somepony would know about The Revenant there.

I left the apartment and kissed Vanilla and Misty goodbye. It was nighttime when I left for the bar. It wasn’t located that far away. It was deeper in town.

The place was called “The Oasis”. The buildings around it looked more expensive then where my apartment was, and the club itself looked very expensive. The name of the club was up in lights.

I looked around and noticed mares on the side of the streets wearing very revealing clothing. They seemed to be waiting for somepony to pick them up. Some of them winked at me.

I ignored and continued to the club. I had to walk up a few steps to get to the entrance. There was a big stallion in the way that stopped me and just looked at me, “You need a pass to enter, sir.”

I looked back at him. Kage and Kynes didn’t give me one, “I-I don’t have a pass.”

He shook his head, “I’m sorry, sir. No pass. No entrance.”

I hung my head and walked away slowly. When I made it to the bottom of the steps, I heard Kynes, “Hey! Digi!”

I turned back around and saw Kynes in the doorway. The stallion guarding the door turned around to him, “You know this stallion, sir?”

Kynes laughed, “Yeah. He’s the one I told you I was waiting for when I gave you his ticket.”

The stallion came to a realization, “Oh yes! I’m sorry, sir. It completely slipped my mind,” the stallion turned back to me, “you may enter, sir.”

I walked back up the steps and entered the club. Music surrounded me. Trumpets, drums, and bass all put together to make a very tantalizing tune. I couldn’t help but to swing a little.

Kynes laughed, “You like the music?”

I nodded, “It’s wonderful. What is it called?”

He smiled and put his arm around my neck, “Swing, my friend.”

Kynes led me to a table, “Kage is over here.”

I looked at him, “How were you able to get into this place?”

Kynes laughed, “You’d be surprised how well a certain smooth talker can easily get a few passes to a place called The Oasis,” he winked and smiled, “that smooth talker would be me.”

We got to the table and sat down. Kage smiled, “Hey there, Digi. Glad you could make it.”

I looked around the club. Ponies were dancing next to a stage where the band was. There was also a cage with poles in it and mares dancing on them. The mares barely wore anything. There was a balcony with more tables above us. It looked more expensive up there.

I looked back at Kage, “It’s very expensive here, it seems.”

Kage laughed, “Yeah. They have everything here! There’s even a casino right over there.”

Kage pointed his hoof toward an archway with “Pharaoh's Treasure” written over it. What exactly was a casino?

I looked at Kage, “What’s a casino?”

He laughed and Kynes poked me, “It’s a place where you try to come out with more bits than what you came out with.”

Kage just stared at the band playing and Kynes drank some alcohol. A waiter came to the table, “Good evening, sir. Do you request something to drink?”

Kynes jumped in, “I’d like a refill, and my friend here,” he put his hoof on my shoulder, “would love to try what I’m having.”

The waiter nodded and took Kynes’s cup. I looked at Kynes, “Why do I want to try what you’re drinking?”

Kage and Kynes laughed. Kynes leaned back slightly, “You just gotta try it. I think you’ll like it. It’s made with corn. A drink called whiskey.”

I looked at Kage and he shook his head, “I tried some, but that kinda stuff isn’t my thing.”

We all just sat back for a little while to listen to the music. I looked up on the balcony and saw a few ponies with suits on talking around a table. They had a few stallions surrounding them that looked like the pony back at the door.

I looked at the cage and the way the mares danced. The way they danced made me feel odd. I liked it. I kind of wanted to see Vanilla dance like that.

Kynes saw what I was looking at and laughed, “You like the mares, Digi?”

I blushed and looked away, “They dance nice.”

Kynes laughed, “Yeah. I guess they do.”

The waiter returned with the drinks and placed them on the table, “Do you require anything else, gentlemen?”

Kynes picked up his drink and looked at the waiter, “Thank you. That will be all.”

The waiter nodded and walked off.

Kage and Kynes both looked at me, waiting for me to drink my beverage. I picked up the glass and took a sip.

I placed the drink down, “It actually doesn’t taste that bad. I kinda like it.”

Kynes put his hooves up and laughed, “Yes! I knew you would like it.”

I proceeded to drink it and a few others with Kynes. I eventually had to go to the bathroom. Kynes pointed me to it. The bathroom in this place even looked nice. There was a pony standing by the sinks holding mints. I ignored him and just went to the urinal.

While I was using the restroom, an extremely drunk pony walked out of one of the stalls and stumbled up to the pony holding the mints.

He put his hoof on the pony with the mints shoulder, “How are ya’ doing this night?”

The pony backed away from the drunk, “Could you please wash your hoofs before exiting.”

The drunk took offense, “You think I’m dirty? You think I have a bad hygiene?”

The pony shook his head, “No no no. Not at al-”

The drunk punched him in the face. He didn’t notice me at the urinal. I was done so I walked over to the drunk pony, “Stop it. He didn’t say you have bad hygiene.”

The drunk pony turned to me, “You think I have bad hygiene, too?”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, “No I don-”

He tried to punch me. I knew this would happen, so I dodged out of the way and punched him in the face. He fell down and his nose began to bleed.

He got back up, “You’ll pay for this. I’ll tell my father. He’ll make you pay.”

He walked out of the door. I helped the pony with the mints back up and washed my hooves. The pony looked at me, “Thank you very much, sir, but do you know who you just upset?”

I shrugged, “No. I don’t. Should I be worried?”

He frowned, “You just punched the son of a very powerful stallion. A stallion who has this city eating out of his hooves. That pony is Big Donatello. Big Don for short.”

I scratched my head, “I’ll be sure to watch my back, I guess.”

I walked out of the bathroom and caught a glimpse of the pony I punched walking up the stairs up to the balcony. I continued back to the table.

I sat down and Kynes patted me on the back, “Welcome back, Digi.”

I nodded at Kynes. So Big Don? Is he really that powerful? That important? Maybe I should be worried.

I looked up at the balcony to see the ponies in suits. I saw the pony I punched walk toward the stallion at the head of the table. The one at the head looked angry after listening to the pony I hit. He smacked the pony on the head and got out of his chair. He walked to the edge of the balcony and looked around the club. The stallion saw me and looked to the other pony, asking him something and proceeded to walk toward the stairs.

I’m guessing that was Big Don.

Chapter 14 - Do you know who I am?

Big Don walked toward the table. Kage and Kynes noticed this and began to stare at him. Kynes tapped me, “Do you know who that is?”

The stallion sat down by us, “You don’t mind if I sit here, do you gentlecolts?”

Kage and Kynes shook their heads while I just looked at him, “It’s fine...”

He slid his chair closer to the table, “Good. Now, I wanted to come and see how you were enjoying my club. Is everything ok?”

I nodded, “It’s a nice place. So it’s yours?”

The stallion looked at me, “Why yes. Everything here is mine. I’m a very powerful stallion in this city. Even the ponies here recognize my power and don’t dare question my authority.

I gulped and Big Don simply leaned toward me, “But I fear that somepony at this very table stepped in something they didn’t know they weren’t supposed to.”

Kage, Kynes and I all looked at one another while Big Don still fixed his gaze on me, “I don’t like it when somepony steps in something they aren’t supposed to, especially in my city. It’s like when you walk outside and step in crap, then you decide to walk in my home and make it reek of the shit on your hoof. I don’t want my home to smell like shit, gentlecolts. I don’t find it pleasing.”

I looked away but I could still tell he was staring at me, “What’s your name?”

I stayed silent. I knew that he already knew that it was me who punched his son. He continued to just stare at me, “A silent type? You aren’t very smart, are you? How about your friends here,” he turned to Kage and Kynes, “do you know his name?”

Kynes gulped, “H-his name is Digi.”

Big Don looked back at me, “Ah. Digi. So Digi. Why did you punch my son?”

I stayed silent and he turned his head, “There’s no reason? You just thought that his face looked like it should be punched? Well, Digi, I find that your face should be punched.”

I looked at Big Don, “S-sorry. He punched a pony, so I stepped in the way and stopped him.”

The stallion leaned back, “I see. One of those “An eye for an eye” ordeals? You know, Digi,” he leaned forward again, “I don’t like those kind of ordeals. They’re sloppy and you never quite get the equal exchange you’re looking for. You know what I mean?”

I shook my head and he frowned, “That’s sad, Digi. I thought you would be smart. You punching my son made me mad. I want equality for making me mad, Digi. I was enjoying my night until you came and had to ruin it.”

I slowly moved away and he stood up, “Do you know how I can get equality, Digi?”

I shook my head and he slammed his hoof on the table, “Of course you don’t! Equality in this scenario is non-existent. It’s a pipe dream. A peace makers wet dream,” Big Don stood erect and blew on his right hoof, “please tell me you’re not too stupid to know how to eliminate a problem.”

I got out of my chair while Kage and Kynes also stood up. I knew what he meant. Big Don looked at me and smiled, “Try to enjoy the rest of your night, gentlecolts, but not too much. I’ll have a present for you.”

He walked past me toward the stairs. I watched him and saw the Big Don’s son laughing at me from on the balcony.

I’m not going to let this happen. I ran up to Big Don and punched him in the back of the head making him fall on his knee. Kage and Kynes both yelled, “Digi!”

Some of the ponies around me stared at me like they knew I did something horrible. Like what I did was going to spell my death. All the ponies in suits up on the balcony got up quickly to see what was happening. The bodyguards that surrounded the stallions in suits began to run toward the stairs.

Big Don got up slowly and turned to me, “Now you just don’t know how to think, do you?”

He was right. Why the hell did I do that? I’ve been acting very strangely ever since I got to this island.

The music continued even with everything happened. The bodyguards already surrounded me. I looked back up at the ponies in suits and saw them with tommy guns out.

Big Don cracked his neck, “Run.”

I followed his advice and ran back to Kage and Kynes. Kynes flipped over the table and we all ducked behind it. Bullets began to pierce the wood but it luckily shielded us.

When they began to reload, we ran toward the bar on the other side of the club. The bodyguards pulled out pistols and shot at us. Kynes got hit in his side before we got behind the bar. The bartender ran away in fear.

I looked at Kynes, “Are you gonna be ok?”

He already ripped a strip of clothing off his shirt and tied it so it covered his wound, covering it with alcohol from the bar, “I’m fine.”

I looked around the bar and saw a shotgun. There was no doubt about it, I grabbed the gun and pointed it towards the bodyguards. I noticed Big Don had already left up the stairs.

I shot at one of the bodyguards and hit him. After I saw him fall, I ducked behind the bar. My aim was a little sloppy. I turned to look at Kynes who was smoking a cigar and he held out a packet of them, “Want one?”

I shook my head, “No thanks.”

Kage was also smoking one. Where the hell were they getting all this?

Oh wait... We’re behind a bar.

The guns rang out again and the bottles on the bar broke, sending glass and booze everywhere. Once they began to reload again, Kyne jumped over the bar and ran toward the bodyguards.

I looked over the bar slightly and yelled, “What the hell are you doing, Kynes!?”

He punched one of the bodyguards down and snatched his gun. There were still two others standing up, but Kynes just shot them both with the already loaded pistol and picked up another one to dual wield. He looked up and saw the ponies in suits point their tommy guns at him, “Shit.”

Kynes jumped under a table for cover. I looked at Kage and we both nodded at each other. We ran to the stairs. Kage picked up the other two pistols dropped from the bodyguards while Kynes got out from under the table. When the ponies ran out of bullets he ran up the stairs with us.

None of us spoke. The only thing that made noise were our hooves, the band, and the sound of our hearts beating.

We made it to the top of the stairs and saw a few billiard tables. We all hurried to one of them, kicked it over and hid behind it. We knew what was coming next.

We waited, but the bullets were never fired. We heard the ponies walk toward us.

Kynes looked at me and smirked, “We’ll make the best of it, I said.”

Kage laughed, “We should stick together, I said.”

Kynes stood up and turned around to face the ponies. Bullets flew past him. He fired a few shots before ducking back down. He actually did hit a couple of them.

We all nodded at eachother and I went left while Kage went right and Kynes jumped over the pool table. They were confused, but a few shots were still fired. They missed us. We didn’t miss them.

All the ponies in suits were dead, but Big Don and his son weren’t there. So where were they?

I heard a click behind us. This couldn’t be good.

We all turned around and saw Big Don, his son, and a few more bodyguards pointing guns at us.

Big Don looked at all the dead ponies and shook his head, “I’m guessing you don’t like my friends.”

Chapter 15 - An eye for an eye

We were forced to place our guns down. I was able to look around now. There weren’t any ponies in the club anymore. Probably because of what happened. The band had stopped playing and were walking out the door. A few other ponies were cleaning up the mess from the fight while Big Don took us into the casino.

There was a door in between the club and the casino. Once we entered, I noticed ponies were still here and laughing no less. It was like nothing happened. Like they hadn’t heared the fight.

Big Don leaned forward, “You may be wondering why they aren’t acting like they just heard a huge firefight. Three words. Sound proof walls. No noise passes through them. Can’t hear a thing. To them, everything is normal in the club.”

A pony wearing a suit walked up to Big Don, “Sir. The ponies who witnessed the firefight know too much and they may spread less than shining reviews of your establishment.”

Big Don looked at the pony, “Find the ones who checked in tonight and kill them. Blame the murders on a new member. That should solve the problem.”

The pony nodded and walked out the door to the club.

We were taken to a door that led to a basement. Once down in the cold room, we saw a table with straps on it. The straps seemed to be for each hoof and one for the neck.

We were forced to turn around to look at Big Don and his son by the body guards. Big Don looked directly at me, “Now Digi. The pony you punched is not just my son. He does have a name, and that is Alcapony. He will be taking care of you and your friends this evening.”

Big Don looked at his son and Alcapony nodded. Big Don looked back at us, “I trust he’ll do a good job, so I’ll be leaving. I have important affairs to deal with.”

Big Don walked back up to the casino and his son laughed, “We’ll have fun, gentlecolts. Place the neon one on the table.”

One of the bodyguards grabbed me. I tried to get his hooves off, but I couldn’t. Another one came over to help him and they forced me onto the table, strapping me to it.

Kage and Kynes could only watch me. When I looked toward them, I saw something strange. It looked like somepony was in the shadows behin-

My head was quickly jerked back by Alcapony, “Digi! So nice to see you again. Let’s start with something simple.”

He punched me in the face. One solid punch made my nose bleed. He walked to the other end of the table and pulled out a drawer that had tools in it.

He picked up a blowtorch and looked at me, “Hmmmmm... No.”

He placed it back in and his eyes widened, “Oh!”

He picked up a bone saw and turned to me, “This will be fun. Let’s start with cutting off your balls. You don’t really need them, do you, Digi? You’re not much of a stallion.”

I gulped, “N-no! I need to get back to Vanilla!”

I blushed. Kage and Kynes both looked at me and their eyes widened. They knew what I did. Alcapony looked at me, “So the pony has a girlfriend. I guess you are a stallion after all. Hmmmm... more reason to just cut off your penis.”

My eyes widened and I tried to get out of the straps, but I couldn’t. Alcapony ripped my pants down. I turned to Kage and Kynes. They both looked away and began to tear up, but I noticed something else behind them. Something more interesting.

That pony figure again. He had something shining in his hooves. Alcapony noticed what I was looking at and looked, too, but the pony already jumped over Kage And Kynes. He was wielding a samurai sword and was wearing a tight fitting black suit with armored shoulder plates.

He sliced through most of the bodyguards except one, who was located behind the pony. The bodyguard pulled out his gun, but the pony with the sword cut off his arm and thrust his blade through the bodyguard.

Alcapony backed up and dropped the bone saw, “Wh-who are you?”

The pony looked at him. He was wearing a helmet with a steel blue visor. The pony walked up to him slowly, “Silence.”

He pierced his sword through Alcapony. The son of Big Don coughed up blood and died.

The pony pulled his sword out of Alcapony, and turned to me. He unstrapped me from the table, “Put your pants back on.”

He looked at Kage and Kynes and nodded. Once I got myself situated, I walked toward the pony, “Who are you, really?”

He turned toward me and opened up his visor, “The Revenant is what most ponies call me, but you can call me Storm Cloud,” he held out his hoof, “Storm for short.”

I shook his hoof. He turned back to Kage and Kynes, “So who are you two?”

Kage stepped forward, “My name’s Kage. Why did you help us?”

Kynes tapped Kages, “The name’s Kynes, and who cares why he helped us? At least he did.”

Storm turned back to me, “Well, I should be off, Digi. I have to go somewhere.”

I stopped him before he could leave, “Wait.”

He looked at me, “What do you want?”

I stepped back, “A stallion by the name of Mr. Chyne told me to find you.”

His eyes widened and he smiled, “Digi. Right. I remember now. He told me about you,” he looked away and walked toward the back of the room, “he also told me you were looking after his daughter now.”

I walked toward him, “Yes. I am. Is something wrong?”

He knelt down, “No. At least I hope not. It’s just that Big Don knows your name and if you didn’t notice, he’s still alive. He has something to work against you with.”

He was right. We needed to go and get Misty and Vanilla somewhere safe. I looked down at him, “Where should we take them to make sure they’re safe?”

He lifted a covering over a whole on the ground, “Right. He told me about Vanilla, too. First of all, I never said anything about taking them somewhere safe. Second of all, we would need a fast way to get there. Where do you live?”

“I live by the docks... wait... So you won’t find them a safe place to stay?”

He smirked, “No. I will. It’s just you should learn not to make assumptions.”

Kage and Kynes walked toward Storm. Kage stepped forward, “We’re going, too.”

He looked at both Kage and Kynes, “Look. If you’re going to be traveling with me, you need to know the rules. No telling me what “has to happen”, and no assuming what I’ll do. You got that?”

We all nodded and he looked back down to the hole he uncovered, “Good.”

I walked toward him, “So how are we going to get to Misty and Vanilla quickly?”

“One word,” he pointed down at the hole, “sewers.”

Chapter 16 - The Revenant

We all climbed down into the sewers. It reeked in here. Storm Cloud shut the steel lid over the hole.

We all followed storm through the tunnels to where ever he was taking us. I knew he was taking us to the docks, but I never went there by sewer.

I walked closer to Storm, “What all did Mr. Chyne tell you about me?”

He took a glance at me and looked back forward, “Not much. What did he say about me?”

I continued to walk at his pace, “He said you hunted things from another plane of existence.”

He stopped underneath a hole and looked up, “Demons.”

Kage stepped closer, “Demons?”

He looked at all of us, “Yes. Demons. Things you refuse to notice, because no one wants to believe in the monster under the bed.”

He began to climb up the ladder and out of the hole. I climbed up right after him, “Do you think Vanilla and Misty are safe?”

Storm looked down at me as I climbed out of the sewers, “I’d say so. Not that much time has passed, but we better hurry. Lead the way to your home.”

I nodded and waited for Kage and Kynes. After Kage and Kynes came out of the sewers, we began to walk to the apartment. We were fairly close. I knew the way. It took a few minutes to reach the complex.

When we got inside my apartment, Vanilla got out of bed quickly, “Who are you?!”

Storm took a glance at Vanilla, “The Revenant.”

I walked in, “Sorry, Vanilla. Some things happened. We need to take you and Misty somewhere safe.”

She looked confused and just looked at all of us, “What kind of things?”

Storm walked past her, “No time to explain now. Where’s Misty?”

I walked toward the guest room, “I’ll get her.”

When I walked in, she was fast asleep. I picked her up and she yawned, “Digi?... What’s goin on?”

I walked out of the room, “We’re going somewhere. Something happened and we need to go to a safe place.”

She fell asleep again. She didn’t seem to understand what was going on. I’ll tell her when she wakes up.

Vanilla stopped me, “Digi. Please just tell me everything will be ok.”

I kissed her, “Everything will be ok. Just come with me. We need to get out of here.”

She nodded and followed us out of the apartment. While we walked toward the exit of the complex, Deep Blue came out of his apartment, “What’s goin’ on, Digi?”

Storm looked back at Blue, “Who are you?”

Blue walked toward us, “I should be asking you the same thing.”

I tapped Storm, “His name is Blue and I want him to come with us if that’s ok.”

Storm looked at me, “Fine. He can come, but only because you didn’t assume that he could.”

Blue looked at me with a confused expression, “Come where?”

I motioned Blue to follow us, “A safe place. Something happened and we need to get out of here.”

Blue paused for a second and then chased after us when we walked out of the complex, “Don’t be tellin’ me you still haven’t learned to pick your own fights, boi o!”

I looked back at the stallion and couldn’t help but smirk. He was right. I still haven’t learned that lesson. I really should start to listen to him.

Kage looked at Storm, “So where are we headed?”

Storm continued to walk forward, not looking back, “A holy place.”

Kynes interjected, “Holy place? What do you mean?”

Storm turned onto another street as we followed close behind him, “An old church forgotten and torn apart by time. I’ve made my home there.”

Deep Blue walked at the same pace as Storm, “An old church doesn’t sound like the safest place to go, especially one torn apart.”

Vanilla jumped in, “Speaking of safe, can anypony tell me what happened?”

Kynes looked at Vanilla, “Your coltfriend punched a stallion in the back of the head. Not a very smart move judging on how he’s a leader of some big criminal network.”

Vanilla blushed at Kynes calling me her “coltfriend” while Blue facehoofed, “I knew it! You still haven’t learned your lesson.”

Storm looked back at the group, “We’re almost to the church. It may be old, but it still serves as a perfect hiding place. Trust me. You’ll be safe there.”

We eventually made it to the church. It was large and made of stone. There was a tower in the front of the structure with a circular stained glass window facing outward. Other stained glass windows were on the side of the building, though most of them were broken. Part of the roof was torn down. In the front of the church laid a cemetery with two separate wings surrounding it which protruded out of the building. The left wing seemed demolished while the right seemed still intact. This whole place had an ethereal feeling to it. Like it shouldn’t even exist. Ethereal, yet dark.

We walked inside the church and Storm turned around to us, “Vanilla, Misty and Digi can stay in the rooms on the right wing. Deep Blue, there’s another room back there for you, too. I trust you and the other can go over the details.”

We nodded in agreement and Storm continued, “Digi, I will also like to have your assistance. Mr. Chyne said that you’re a good ally. I’d like to see for myself,” he turned to Kage and Kynes, “and you two. I saw how you fought in the club tonight. I believe you should help Digi. There’s a place for you two in the left wing. It’s the only room left standing.”

Vanilla stepped forward, “What do you mean by “assistance”?”

Storm smirked, “This isn’t a free ride. If you ponies are staying in my home, I require payback. Bits won’t do, so I ask for help. Don’t worry. I’ll be fighting alongside them, as well.”

Vanilla walked closer to Storm, “Fighting?! What do you mean?!”

Storm ignored her yelling at him, “I hunt Demons and I would like to have some help.”

Deep Blue scratched his head, “Demons?”

I turned to Blue, “Yes. Evil ponies from another plane of existence.”

Deep Blue and Vanilla looked confused, “What do you mean “another plane of existence”?”

Storm rolled his eyes, “Look, I don’t want to play twenty questions. This place, The Pit, is connected to another realm, a realm of evil, and that evil leaks out here. I fend it off as best I can, but it’s difficult to fight it all off alone. Digi, Kage, and Kynes could help. Digi wants to keep you and Misty safe, Vanilla, and this is one of the ways he could do it.”

Vanilla and Deep Blue both nodded and stopped with the questions. I jumped in, “What about Big Don?”

Storm looked at me, “We’ll take care of him first. I know where he lives.”

Kage stepped forward, “When do we go?”

Storm turned to him, “Tomorrow. For now, we should rest.”

Storm walked up a stairway leading into the tower. We all said goodnight to each other and left to our rooms. Tomorrow, I’ll be coming for you, Big Don, and this time... you won’t get away.

Episode 5: A Familiar Face

Chapter 17 - It begins

I woke up early the next morning. Vanilla was already awake and sitting on the side of the bed. I sat up, “Is something wrong?”

She glanced at me and turned back, “I thought I told you to be safe.”

I hugged her, “I want you and Misty to be safe. If it means throwing myself in harms way so be-”

She shrugged my hug off, “Just be safe...”

I lifted her chin up with my hoof to look at her, “I love you, Vanilla.”

She began to tear up, “Then why don’t you just stay here with me?!”

I stepped back, “I-I-”

She got up and quickly ran over to hug me, “Please just don’t leave me... Please...”

I was kinda surprised. Is she supposed to have mood swings like this? I hugged her back, “I’ll be back. Don’t worry.”

She let go and left out the door with me. She walked into Misty’s room as I continued to walk to the church. I saw Storm with Kage and Kynes already awake and talking. I walked toward them and Kage noticed me, “Ah! Good morning, Digi.”

I smiled to hide away my feelings about the conversation with Vanilla, “Good morning. So when do we leave?”

Storm looked outside through the hole in the roof, “Soon,” he looked back down to us, “now, actually. Are you ready?”

Kage and Kynes nodded and then they looked to me. I scratched my head, “I guess I’m ready, too.”

Storm began to walk toward the back of the building and lifted a steel lid off the ground revealing a hole.

More sewers. Great.

Storm looked back up at us, “You’re going to have to get used to traveling like this with me. We’ll be using them a lot to get to places during the day.”

Storm began to climb down while Kynes looked at me and Kage and shrugged, “I guess we should wash more from now on, then.”

Kage began to climb down, “Or smell like shit?”

Kynes chuckled and climbed down after Kage, “Or smell like shit.”

We followed Storm through the sewers once again, this time traveling a much longer distance. We stayed silent for awhile until Kynes brought out a box from his coat pocket and took a cigar out of it.

I looked at him, “You took the cigars?”

Kynes looked at me as he lit it up, “Of course I did! They’re amazing. No to mention they clear up this horrible smell.”

Kage looked back to Kynes and held his hoof out, “Could you give me one?”

Kynes handed him one and lit it for him as Kage placed it in his mouth, “Thanks.”

Kynes nodded and put the box away, “No problem.”

Storm looked back at them both and shook his head, “We’re almost there.”

We walked down a few more tunnels and eventually reached a ladder. Storm looked toward us, “This will take us into an alleyway. Inside that alleyway will be an entrance to a theatre. Big Don will be talking to an assassin in there about you, Digi.”

Kage looked sceptical, “How do you know that for sure?”

Storm turned to Kage, “I followed him around last night after you all went to bed. He’s furious about the murder of his son. He found out late last night, and now he wants you to pay for it, so he hired an assassin. An assassin he always turns to in time of need. He was told to meet him at the theatre in the morning.”

Kage nodded, “Ok. Let’s go.”

Storm turned back and climbed up the ladder. Kynes climbed after him, “I hate plays.”

Kage chuckled, “I’m sure we’ll make it more interesting.”

When we reached the top, Storm turned back around to us and pulled out his samurai sword, “Yes we will.”

Storm opened up the door to the opera house which lead into a dark, maybe moody, hallway with fancy red wallpaper. It seemed like no pony was guarding it or the guard just left. Probably the latter.

Storm let us in and we could faintly hear the sound of a play. He closed the door and walked into a dark room on the left side of the hallway we were currently in. We followed his lead and knelt down.

He whispered, “Ok. We have to make sure no one spots us. If they do, Big Don is going to be escorted off the premises. Don’t attack anypony unless you absolutely have to. Do you all understand?”

We all nodded. Storm stood back up and put the steel blue visor over his face, “Let the show begin.”

Chapter 18 - Act 1

We all walked out of the room and into another hallway which had stairs. We followed Storm up the stairs and through a door. It lead out into a granite floor lobby with stone columns. There were a few ponies standing around in the lobby. Most of them looked like bodyguards for Big Don.

We all quickly ran into a small wooden room that held costumes for different scenes and settings. Storm looked at all of us, “This play is set in the colonial era during a war. Look for costumes to fit that setting. We’ll gain entrance to the theatre by pretending to be some of the actors.”

We all looked through the clothes and found our costumes. Kynes wore an old wool suit while Kage and I wore soldiers uniforms. Storm dressed in a captain's outfit. He replaced the fake sword with his own. He looked at all of us, “Ready?”

I looked back and picked up a maid's costume really fast and put it in the back of my pants. It looked like it would be nice on Vanilla. I looked back at them and blushed slightly, “Ok. Ready.”

Kynes smirked and shook his head. Storm nodded, “Right. Let’s go.”

We walked out of the room and Storm lead us to a back stage entrance. A pony let us in thinking we were actors. We quickly ran to the side of the stage where we were met by other actors. This brought back memories of Equestria and one of the things I used to be a part of. Acting.

I’ve kind of missed it. The stage. The lights. Entertaining ponies. The director of the play walked up to Kynes, “You’re due on stage now! We’ve been waiting for you! Do you know your lines?”

Kynes opened his mouth wide, “Uhhhh...”

One of the stage crew ran over to us, “We need him on stage now.”

The director gestured for Kynes to go out, “The crowd awaits.”

Kynes was rushed out onto the stage as we all watched him from the back. Kage chuckled, “This’ll be good.”

A mare wearing a dress began the scene, “So I see you’ve finally arrived, Mr. Brick.”

Kynes looked around and saw the ponies in the audience waiting for him to act. He gulped and tried to pretend he knew his lines, “Yes. In the nick of time, too.”

The mare nodded and walked closer to Kynes, “Indeed. The soldiers wish to reside on the estate, but I don’t think they should be allowed here,” the mare pulled Kynes closer to her, “what do you think Mr. Brick?”

Kynes gulped and looked away, “I think they should. They are in need of a place to stay.”

The director nodded, “It wasn’t quite what was in the script, but I like the adlib.”

The mare looked down, “I guess you’re right. I’ll tell them.”

The stage went dark and Kynes walked off stage back to us, “That was nerve racking.”

I smirked, “You did good.”

Storm looked at Kynes, “Did you see Big Don?”

Kynes facehoofed, “I completely forgot. I didn’t even look for him.”

Storm shook his head, “That’ll be fine, but I have to go and find the actor who was really playing Mr. Brick. We don’t really want main roles.”

I remembered this play. It‘s called “The Golden Brick” and is about a pony who shows kindness to both sides of the war and gets them to stop fighting for a day. Storm was also dressed as a main character in the play.

I turned to Storm, “You should also find a pony dressed as you acting the part of Captain Shell.”

Storm turned his head slightly, “You know this play?”

I nodded, “Yes. I acted as Mr. Brick.”

Kynes looked at me, “Maybe we should switch places.”

Storm shook his head, “Forget about it. I need to go and find the characters we are acting as.”

He walked off as I whispered something to him to make sure no pony else heard, “Make sure you come back. You have a part coming up.”

Storm nodded and hurried to the actor’s dressing rooms. Kage looked at me, “So when do we head out on stage?”

I chuckled, “We head out with Storm. We’re background characters. Right now they’re getting the next scene set up.”

Kynes shook his head, “How did this turn into us being actors from us having to kill Big Don?”

I paused. Kill. That word still didn’t sit right with me. Death. It just doesn’t seem right.

Kage scratched his head, “I don’t know, but we have to go with the plan.”

I saw Storm run back toward us, “Is the play starting up again?”

I turned to him, “Soon.”

Kynes chuckled nervously, “Did you... uh... kill them?”

Storm shook his head, “No. There is no need to spill their blood. They did nothing wrong. I simply knocked them out.”

Kynes nodded, “Yeah... good.”

The curtains opened and the stage lit up. The director walked toward us, “Ok. You’re up Captain Shell and soldiers.”

We all walked onto stage. In this scene Captain Shell was supposed to hear news from the mare that they were allowed to stay on the land.

I pointed my hoof to where Storm was supposed to go. He nodded and sat down in the chair behind a desk. This really did feel good. To be back on a stage.

I smiled and Kage tapped me, “Look for Big Don.”

Oh yeah. I’m not here to act, even though I wish I was. I glanced over the room and eventually saw Big Don sitting in the balcony overlooking the stage. Why is it always a balcony with him?

I looked at the pony sitting beside him who was the assassin, I’m guessing. He had a...

My heart stopped. Eyes widened. Everything went silent, “Th-that can’t be.”

Kage turned to me and spoke, but I could barely hear him, “What?”

Storm looked at me and Kage. He looked to see what I was looking at. I couldn’t believe what I saw.

It was a pony I’ve seen before. A pony with a scarlet coat and an orange, ruffled short mane. Memories of him came flooding back. I killed him. I saw that blade pierce through him.

My mouth slipped out his name, “Crimson Tear...”

Chapter 19 - Tears and flames

Storm stood out of his seat. He pulled out his sword and ran toward the edge of the stage, jumping off of it. He sprouted wings and flew up to the balcony. So Storm was a pegasus? I had no idea.

His blade pierced through Big Don. It was over. He was dead, but I wasn’t too worried about him anymore. I was worried about... The Butcher.

Kynes watched in awe, "Well that was quick."

Crimson Tear turned to Storm and grinned, “Hello.”

Storm quickly took his sword out of Big Don to slice the other pony down, but Crimson Tear had already tossed him off of the balcony and into the crowd.

All the ponies scrambled for the exit, but Crimson Tear jumped down and blocked it, smirking at them, “Why do you all want to leave? The show must go on!”

He pulled out the very same blade he used to try and kill me. The same one I thought I killed him with. The ponies began to run away from The Butcher, but most of them didn’t make it away in time. They were torn to shreds. Blood splattering everywhere while in the middle of it all was a pony laughing. Laughing at the death.

I looked away, but turned back and began to walk toward Crimson Tear. I wasn’t going to let him do this. Kynes looked at everything going on, “What the fuck?!”

I stepped into a puddle of blood. I began to smell its coppery scent. The pieces of ponies laid around me while Crimson Tear stood in the middle of it all staring at me, “Well well. Look who it is.”

I still couldn’t believe it, “H-how are you still alive?”

He smirked, “Yes. You did do quite a number on me,” he ripped off his shirt and showed the giant scar from when I stabbed him, “yet I’m still here. How is that?”

I gulped. Storm stood back up and scratched his head. Kage just looked confused while Kynes was still trying to figure out what exactly was going on. Crimson Tear laughed, “This time you brought some friends,” he pointed to Storm, “one of which being a demon hunter.”

I glanced over at Storm and turned back to Crimson Tear, “How did you know that?”

He laughed loudly and the ground at his feet caught fire, “I’m a demon, Digi! You couldn’t tell?! Wow. You really aren’t very smart, are you?” he grinned.

Kynes threw his hooves up, “Oh come on!”

I stepped back as he came closer to me. Deja vu. Just like last time, but now Storm jumped in between me and the crazed pony.

Storm looked back at me, “Get your friends out of here.”

I looked at him. There was no way I was going to run now. I was not going to leave Storm, “No. I stay with you.”

Crimson Tear laughed, “Good. More ponies I get to kill.”

Kynes walked up beside me, “Fuck it. Let’s just do this.”

Kage followed him, “What he said.”

Storm turned to us with an angry look, “What is the difference between you and I?”

Kynes shrugged, “A captain's coat?”

Crimson Tear lifted his blade and it came down on Kynes, but Storm blocked it with his own sword and looked at him, “A weapon!”

Kynes fell back and Kage nodded, “He’s got a point.”

Storm blocked some other attacks from Crimson Tear as Kage, Kynes and I ran away to try and find weapons. Kynes picked up two pistols from a bodyguard Crimson Tear killed, “Lucky for me.”

I looked around, but didn’t find anything. I saw Kage pick up a steel pipe on the stage for the scene background. I turned back to look at Storm. Every attack was being blocked.

So he was a demon? They look just like a regular pony. How is that possible? I thought they were from another plane of existence. Maybe they were. Maybe their world wasn’t that much different than our own.

Kage ran toward the fight and joined in as Kynes shot at Crimson Tear. Even though the demon took a few hits from the bullets and from the pipe, it didn’t seem to phase him.

I looked around again and saw a hatchet in an “In Case of Fire” case. Kind of fitting for the occasion. I broke the glass and took it out. This’ll be good as anything I guess.

I ran toward Crimson Tear, jumped over Kage and jammed the hatchet right into the demon's head.

I did that like it was an instinct. I guess this place really has changed me.

Everything stopped. I heard no more gunshots, steel hitting steel or thuds of a pipe. All I heard was silence.

Silence and then laughter. A deep laughter.

I turned around and saw Crimson Tear still standing. Laughing, “Another good attack, Digi. Maybe you should be the demon hunter.”

Storm sliced his blade through Crimson Tears side and fire spurted out of the wound. The demon continued to laugh, “I grow tired of fighting. I just want death. I want violence, Digi. Bloodshed.”

He walked slowly toward me, the hatchet still buried in his skull, embers falling out of the wound. Kynes shot at him. The fire began to spread as he laughed, “Do you understand, Digi? I want bloodshed. I want you all to just die. All of you pitiful ponies.”

Claws began to grow out of his hooves. He began to grow hands and feet. Horns sprouted out of his head and Kage began to beat on him again. Crimson Tear grinned at me, “As you can see, I’m definitely not a pony like you, Digi. No. I’m different like my eight brothers and sisters. We simply act like you all to fit in so we can have our way with you.”

Storm sliced through him again. The demon closed his eyes, “I grow tired of this. My sister will deal with you, Digi. Expect a visit from 'The Thorned Rose.'”

The demon sprouted wings and flew onto the balcony while Storm flew after him. Storm Attacked him, but Crimson Tear blocked it, “Stop this! I know what you really are, demon hunter.”

Crimson Tear threw Storm down into the puddle of blood and left, tearing the hatchet out of his skull.

The fire was spreading quickly. I hadn’t really noticed because of the fight. Kynes looked at the guns he picked up and dropped them. They were out of ammo. He ran over to me, “Before
I even ask what the hell just happened, how the hell do we get out of here?”

Storm stood up, “We go out the front then go back to the alleyway to enter the sewers.”

Kage ran toward the exit, “Sewers sound better than this place.”

I followed them out the door and we were met by even more dead ponies on the floor of the lobby. Crimson Tear just cleaned the whole place out leaving no survivors... except us.

All these ponies had a life, but now it was taken away from them in one instant. This shouldn’t happen... but it did.

Storm yelled at me from the door that lead to the alleyway, “Digi! Get over here!”

I snapped out of it and ran toward them. We quickly ran out of the building. Kage still held onto the pipe he picked up. Storm uncovered the lid to the sewers and quickly climbed down, while we followed close behind.

The smell of burning ponies were replaced with the smell of sewage. Kage and Kynes coughed as I stared at Storm.

I breathed heavily, “Who is The Thorned Rose?”

Storm coughed slightly, “Her name is Ecstasy.”

I shook my head, “Strange name,” I quickly remembered what Crimson Tear said to Storm, “wait... What did Crimson Tear mean by 'I know what you are?'”

Storm turned around and paused for a second, “We should get back to the church.”

Storm began to walk through the sewers and we followed. What did Crimson Tear mean? What was The Revenant?

Chapter 20 - The show must go on

We made it back to the church, leaving the stench of the sewers behind. Kynes scratched his head, “So can anyone tell me what the hell happened back there?”

Storm turned to us, “The demon Bloodshed. Violence is all he’s after. He just wants a quick kill, that’s why he didn’t want to fight us.”

I nodded, “So who’s Ecstasy?”

Storm looked at me, “She’s the demon Lust.”

Kage stepped forward, “Wait wait wait. We all beat the shit out of Crimson Tear or whatever. He should have died.”

Storm turned around, “Demons are different from us. They must be killed by holy items.”

Kynes looked at Storm’s sword, “What’s that then?”

Storm threw it on the ground, “A normal blade. I don’t waste the power of my holy sword on normal scum.”

Kage scratched his head, “Power?”

Storm walked up to the tower of the church, “Yes. My sword holds power that slowly deteriorates. I must go and meditate on the proceedings of today. I will be back shortly.”

Kynes turned to me, “I think I’m going to go and clean myself.”

Kage began to walk to his room, “Yes. I must wash myself from the shit of the sewers.”

Kynes followed Kage while laughing, “Yeah. That sounds about right.”

I walked off to my own room. I wanted to let Vanilla know I was ok. I didn’t want her to worry. I actually wish I could stay with her, but I knew I couldn’t. I felt as if I needed to go.

I opened the door and saw Vanilla sitting on the bed. She glanced at me, “Hello, darling. Misty’s out in the courtyard playing with Blue...”

I walked toward her, “Are you ok?”

She looked up at me, “I’m sorry the way I acted earlier today.”

I sat down beside her, “Don’t be. I understand how you feel,” I kissed her on her forehead, “I love you.”

She smiled, “I love you, too... I... have something to tell you.”

I tilted my head, “What is it?”

She scooted closer to me, “I think I may be...” she looked down, “pregnant.”

I was surprised and scratched my head, “A-are you sure?”

She held my hoof, “Not completely, but it feels like it... I... don’t know if I can do this, Digi... I don’t even know if I do a good job with Misty,” she looked down, “I don’t think I’m a good mother figure.”

I pulled her closer to me, “Don’t say tha-” she began to cry against my chest, “Wh-what’s wrong?”

She looked up at me, teary eyed, “I’m not meant to be a mother.”

I held her closer to me, “Maybe you’re not meant to be a mother,” I kissed her neck, “but I think you’ll still be a good one. Hell, I think you are a good one. Misty really loves being around you.”

She cried on my shoulder and snuggled closer to me. Pregnant? With my child? This only gives me more reason to hunt down the evil in this place... and get both Vanilla and Misty off this damned island.

The maids costume I picked up from the theatre popped out slightly and Vanilla saw, “What’s this?”

Vanilla pulled it out and showed it to me. I blushed, “I thought you would look good in it.”

She smiled, “You want to see me dressed in it, darling?”

I scratched my head, “Yes... I would.”

She wiped her eyes, “Maybe later.”

I smiled, “Ok. You should rest for now if you really are pregnant.”

She looked at me and smiled, “How about you rest with me?”

I blushed, “I think I should go spend some time with Misty and Bl-”

Vanilla pulled me down onto the bed, got on top of me and kissed me, “You can always go and visit with them later,” she picked up the maids outfit, “I’ll go ahead and try it on for you.”

Vanilla walked into the bathroom with the maids costume. She seems to be having very large mood swings. I guess she really might be pregnant.

She walked out a little while after she put it on. I could only blush. She looked at me with alluring eyes while walking slowly toward me, swinging her hips, “From what I can tell, you like what you see.”

She pushed me down on the bed and got on top of me. I think it’s pretty clear what happened next.

*~*~*

I was getting dressed as Vanilla laid in bed. It was enjoyable as always.

Once I was dressed, I turned to look at Vanilla. She was already fast asleep, breathing softly. She looked so fragile. So cute.

I walked out of the room and continued toward the main building. Misty and Blue already came in from outside. They were both laughing, unaware of what had happened out in the town earlier today. Unaware that all those ponies had died.

Misty spotted me, “Digi,” she ran toward me and hugged me, “me and Vanilla missed you.”

I smiled, holding back a tear. I needed to get this filly off of this island. I needed to get them both out of here, “I missed you, too, Misty. What have Blue and you been up to?”

Blue walked over chuckling, “We’ve just been playing out in the courtyard. She’s quite the hider.”

Misty smiled and laughed, “Yeah! We played hide and go seek. Blue didn’t have a chance. I’m a champion at that game.”

Blue scratched his head, “She really is. Quite the finder, too.”

I hugged Misty, smiling, “Good job.”

She hugged back tightly, “Can we play a game later?”

I smiled, “Sure.”

I ruffled her mane playfully. I’ll make sure I spend some time with her... at least I’ll try my best to. With demons now out looking for me and Storm keeping something hidden from us all, the main thing I have on my mind is getting Misty and Vanilla out of here, like always.

I will get them off of this island. I’ll make sure they get out of The Pit.

Episode 7: The Beginning of a Roaring Thunder

Chapter 25 - The calm winds of change

My eyes opened to a very strange image. There was a small... thing with wings flying over me. It was covered in some kind of robe and a white mask covered its face. The only thing I could pick out from behind his mask and robe were glowing yellow eyes.

I sat up quickly in surprise, but was brought back down in intense pain, “FUCK!”

The little flying thing turned to another I didn’t notice flying on the other side of me and spoke in a squeaky voice, “Bad word.”

The other one nodded, “Bad word.”

They both turned to two others standing by the exit and said in unison, “Bad word.”

The two by the door began to fly and exit the room, “Bad word means awake.”

The one I first noticed turned to me, “Awake means good.”

What the fuck is going on here? Where am I?

Vanilla and Kynes ran into the room. Finally some familiar faces. Vanilla kisses me, “Good! You’re awake!”

The flying thing nodded at Vanilla, “Awake means good.”

I looked at Vanilla, “What exactly are these... things?”

Vanilla giggled, “They’re called cherubs. Well that’s what the one who lives down here calls them.”

I tilted my head, “Who lives down here? And what do you mean by ‘down here’?”

Kynes smiled, “It’s a friend of Storm’s. He’s a changeling, too. And we’re down in the sewers right now.”

Vanilla nodded, “Yeah. He saw the church burning and took us here. He said a friend of Storm is a friend of his. So now we’re here.”

I blinked and shook my head, “Well... That was easy to explain.”

Kynes chuckled, “Just the way I like it.”

My eyes widened, “Wait. He’s a changeling?”

Vanilla nodded, “Yes. He’s very open about it, too, but he stays down here with his cherubs. He knows what’s going on in The Pit, though.”

I relaxed my head into the pillow behind me, “So he knows about the demons?”

Kynes walked over and nodded, “Yeah. He knows all about it. He even knows about the sword Storm gave to you. How it can kill them.”

I remembered. That sword. The Begotten. I looked at Kynes, “Where is it?”

Kynes pointed his hoof to the corner of the room where the sword leaned against the wall, “Don’t worry. It’s right there. I made sure to bring it for you.”

I sighed and closed my eyes, “Thank Celestia.”

Vanilla giggled and sighed, “Are you ok, honey?”

Kynes smirked and left the room. I blushed, “Yeah. I’m feeling better then before, but I’m still in pain.”

She looked at my side. It was bandaged along with my right leg and right shoulder. I guess that was where I broke bones. Vanilla laid beside me, “I hope you’ll get better.”

I held her close, “I will. Don’t worry,” I gulped, “but these cherubs are watching us.”

Vanilla laughed and stood back up, “Yeah. They’re strange.”

The cherubs landed and walked toward the door. One of them flew up to open the door as the other walked out, then the one who opened it followed.

I chuckled, “Kinda cute, too”

Vanilla laughed, “Misty has been having fun with them. That filly really likes them.”

I smiled, “That’s good. I’m glad she’s having fun. How about Blue?”

She nodded and sat down beside me, “He’s fine. Worried about you, though. He fell asleep a little while ago.”

I yawned, “Maybe I should sleep, too.”

Vanilla smiled, “Maybe you should. You need to rest.”

I suddenly remembered that Vanilla was pregnant, “You need to rest, too. You’re pregnant.”

She sighed and got up, “Yeah...”

I tilted my head, “What’s wro-”

Wait... I remember. She was... raped.

How could I forget? I sighed, “It’ll be ok, Vanilla... It’s in the past. I’ll make sure you’re safe. I’ll make sure nothing else happens to you.”

Was that the best I could do? The best thing I could say? She walked toward the door with her head hung low, “Ok, Digi.”

She walked out. The door closed softly behind her. Damn it. I could have said something better, couldn’t I?

I actually don’t know what to tell Vanilla... I’ve never been in a situation like this. I sincerely care about her and I will do anything to make sure she’s safe. I just don’t know how to tell her that.

Am I a bad coltfriend?

“Damn it.”

I sighed and closed my eyes. I needed to sleep. I needed to rest. What I didn’t need was to fill my head with these thoughts. They tore me up.

I relaxed and after a few minutes; drifted off.

Chapter 26 - Nice to meet you

I woke up, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to sleep some more, but it seemed as if my eyes didn’t. I decided to look around the room. No pony was there. I was alone. It was probably night and everypony was asleep. Everypony except me.

“Great.” I mumbled to myself and laid my head back down.

What the hell do I do? Am I healed enough to walk around? Maybe I could get a good look at this place.

I took the sheets covering me and tossed them to the ground. The wound on my side seemed to still be tender, but it was healing. My right leg was sore, along with my shoulder. Broken bones do that to you, I guess.

I sat up slowly in my bed and turned so that my hooves fell off the side. I slowly got up.

It was painful, but I put most of my weight on my left leg, so it was tolerable. I began to walk toward the door and opened it slowly.

Cherubs were sleeping in the hallway. I made sure I didn’t disturb any of them. Didn’t want to wake up the little things, and I definitely didn’t want to go back to bed. I hated sleeping all the time. It made me feel useless.

After walking past some rooms that Kage, Kynes, Vanilla, Blue, and Misty were sleeping in, it seemed that I had made it to some stairs.

They went up towards a hallway that curved to the left. I lead to a bigger room. There were three tunnels in the upper part of the room that water came out of. It all spilled into a pool that surrounded a stone bridge. It lead to a wooden door. The bridge had a few small holes with water filling them. As I crossed it, I accidently stepped in a few, getting my hooves wet.

I made it to the door and opened it. It lead to another room, though this one was even bigger than the last. There were stairs that lead up to a... a throne?

It looked like a throne from down here. Was it?

I stepped closer to get a better look, but slipped on my wet hoof and landed on my back.

“FU- OW!”

I heard a pony walking down the steps, slowly walking toward me. I could only stare at the ceiling. It was too painful to turn my head to see who was coming.

Pretty soon a changeling was standing over me. I paused and looked up at him, my vision blurred from the fall, “S-Storm?”

He smirked and shook his head, “No... You aren’t supposed to be up, little pony.”

My vision cleared up and I could see him clearly. It wasn’t Storm... I don’t even know why I would have thought that.

I coughed, “I couldn’t sleep.”

The changeling knelt down, “I could fix that.”

The changeling brought out a wooden pole from behind him. My eyes widened. Was he really going to do what I thought he was going to do?

The changeling laughed and put the pole away, “Your face! It was priceless!”

I nervously chuckled while the changeling stood up and put his hoof out for me, “You really should loosen up. I know you’ve had a hard time, but being so stressed isn’t good for the healing process.”

I grabbed his hoof and he pulled me up. I lightly brushed myself off with my left hoof, “Th-thanks. So you must be...”

He bowed, “My name is Solaki,” he looked at me, “but you can call me Sol.”

I nodded and held my hoof out. He looked at it, “Yes?”

I looked at my hoof and then back to him, “You’re supposed to shake it.”

Sol laughed, “Oh! Yes! Right,” he shook my hoof, “excuse me. I’m not used to customs on the surface. Me and my cherubs go about things in a different manner.”

I nodded, though I didn’t really know what he was talking about.

He lifted his hooves up and laughed, “Look at me forgetting! You’re hurt and I’m standing here rambling on. I apologize,” he opened up the door that lead to the stone bridge and pool of water surrounding it, “let me help you back to your bed.”

I smirked and nodded, walking through the door, “Thank you.”

I just followed him back to my room. He didn’t say anything, and neither did I. We both walked cautiously when we made it to the hallway leading to where I was sleeping. He whispered, “The cherubs are nice, but they tend to get a little grumpy if you wake them in the middle of naps.”

I smirked and chuckled slightly, “Don’t we all?”

He smiled, “Good. Keep up that attitude. It’s better for you.”

I smiled back and nodded. He opened up the door to my room for me. As I laid back into my bed, he entered the room and closed the door, “So why can’t you sleep?”

My smile disappeared. I remembered what I was worried about, “Nothing... I’ll be fine.”

Sol shook his head, “If you’re fine then you wouldn’t have found your way out of your room. You would still be sleeping.”

I couldn’t help but smile a little, “You’re right... It’s just that... I’m worried.”

Sol nodded, “That’s normal. I’d be worried if you weren’t. The question is what are you worried about?”

I looked up at the ceiling, “I’m worried about Misty and Vanilla. I’m worried about the demons. I’m worried about,” I paused for a second, “dieing...”

Sol crossed his arms, “Yes. Yes. You have a lot to worry about. It’s understandable. That is why you fix those problems.”

I closed my eyes, “I just want to avoid these problems.”

He smirked, “Yes. Avoid the problems so you can make it safely to your death. Either way, Digi, you will die. It’s a fact. So make sure you leave this world the way you want it before you go, and let me tell you, if you do nothing, it won’t change at all.”

I relaxed my head into the pillow. He was right. I shouldn’t think about all this too much. I looked at him, “Thank you.”

He smiled and nodded, “It’s what I do. Now rest. Your training begins tomorrow.”

I looked at him and my eyes widened, “What? Training? I thought you said I should be resting?”

He laughed and began to walk toward the door, “Yes. You should be. It’s night. Everyone should be resting.”

I laid back down and scratched my head. Wait...

I looked at Sol again as he opened up the door, “Training for what?!”

He chuckled, “Goodnight, Digi.”

He shut the door quickly leaving me to think about something entirely different.

Training for what? Is it for the sword?

I laid back down and relaxed. Whatever it was for, I decided I should rest. I guess I’ll figure it out tomorrow.

My eyes shut. I drifted off to sleep. I drifted into a dream. No...

Not a dream...

A nightmare.

Chapter 27 - This isn’t what I wanted

I was back on the ship that took me to The Pit. I was laying down in my room on the ship just looking up at the ceiling. I got up and walked toward the door, opening it. Walking out into the hallway, I could hear the crackling of flames.

I ran toward the exit and walked out to the deck of the ship. All I saw was The Pit burning down. I stepped off of the ship. What the hell was happening?

I walked into the city, all around me were burning buildings. I could hear screams underneath the crackling flames. My eyes widened, “Vanilla... Misty...”

I ran toward the church. That’s the only place I could think of at the time.

As I ran down the streets to the church, I saw ponies run out of the buildings. They were set ablaze, flailing their hooves around, screaming for help. I gulped and teared up slightly, but ran past them. I had to get to the church.

After a short time, I made it to the church. It wasn’t burnt down. It wasn’t on fire. I smiled with tears in my eyes.

I slowly walked toward the structure. Everything seemed like it was before. Everything was back to normal.

I took another step toward the church, but stopped when I saw him walk out. His eyes were lit, his grin made me step back. It was War.

He walked slowly toward me with his sword in his hoof, “Hello, Digi. Welcome back to the church. Are you looking for Vanilla and Misty?”

My eyes widened and I took a step toward him, standing firmly, “Where are they?!”

He chuckled, “Please, Digi. Calm down. They’re right here.”

He pointed both hooves away toward either side of him where Vanilla and Misty were tied up. I looked at them both and cried, turning back to War, “Let them go!”

He smirked, “I can’t, but you can.”

I took a step toward Misty, but then I noticed Gluttony walking toward Vanilla. I began to rush toward her, but noticed Crimson Tear walking toward Misty.

War just stood there and shook his head while grinning, “Tsk tsk. Don’t you hate decisions? I know I do.”

I continued to run toward Vanilla. I was already closer to her. Maybe I could save them both. I will.

I got to Vanilla and untied her. She got up and ran away as Gluttony walked back into the church.

I turned to Misty and began to run toward her. War stepped out of the way and smiled. Crimson Tear was already right next to her, his blade over his head.

I screamed out, “NO!”

His blade struck down as I could only see the blood of the little filly drip off of the table. Crimson Tear turned toward me, smirking, with blood splattered on his face.

I fell to my knees and slammed the ground, cursing. War stood over me. I looked up at him, my vision blurred from my tears. He simply smiled, “Your choice. Not mine.”

I stood up and looked him in the eyes, “I’LL KILL YOU!”

He grinned, “I’ve heard that before. From a changeling. A changeling I killed.”

He slashed his sword toward me, but I jumped back and fell. I could feel somepony breathing against the back of my neck. I turned around and saw Misty. Her eyes were glazed over and she was sewed up.

I quickly crawled away from her while crying, “No...”

She held a doll and blood fell from her eyes like tears, “Is it my turn to sleep like my mommy, Digi?”

War walked toward me and looked down at me, holding his sword with both hooves over my body, “Is it your turn, too, Digi?”

His sword thrust down toward me.

I woke up yelling. I quickly sat up, hurting myself. Vanilla had just walked into the room and ran toward me, “What’s wrong, honey?!”

I laid back down and began to tear up, “A nightmare. You and Misty... I... Where’s Misty?”

Vanilla wiped some of the tears off of my cheek and kissed my forehead, “She’s still sleeping.”

I looked at Vanilla, “Is she ok? Is she hurt?”

I sat up, but Vanilla stopped me, “She’s fine, Digi. We’re both fine.”

I paused and slowly laid back down. She laid down next to me and put her head on my chest, “Your heart is beating fast,” she looked at me, “it’ll be fine. It was just a dream.”

She was right. It was just a dream. It wasn’t real. I wiped my eyes, “Ok...”

She laid her head back onto my chest, “Good. Your heartbeat is slowing down.”

I smiled and hugged her, “I love you.”

She giggled, “I love you, too.”

A single tear fell down my cheek. Vanilla couldn’t see it. I’m so glad I was with her.

Sol walked into the room, “Stop that. No time. His training begins today.”

Vanilla laughed and got up, “Sorry.”

Sol walked toward the corner of the room and picked up the sword, “You’ll be needing this.”

He handed it to me as I got out of bed, “So what kind of training will this be?”

Blue walked through the door, “Hopefully something to teach you to be a little smarter, boi o.”

Sol chuckled, “No no. I will simply teach you how to fight well with that sword, Digi. You’ll need to learn if you’re going to hunt down demons like Storm did.”

I stood up and looked down, “Yeah... Storm...”

Vanilla put her hoof on my shoulder, “He did all he could do. He gave you his sword for a reason. He saw something in you. Something I see,” I looked at her and she smiled, “you can finish where he left off.”

I looked at Sol, “When do we start?”

He smiled and walked toward the door, “Once we enter the throne room, expect the training to begin.”

I followed close behind him along with Vanilla and Blue. Maybe this will take my mind off of that dream.

Chapter 28 - To be a hero

I was back in the throne room surrounded by cherubs and my friends. Blue, Kage and Vanilla sat on a bench while Kynes stood next to a cherub beside them. Sol was slowly walking around me, “Are you still in pain, Digi?”

I stretched slightly, “Yeah. A little.”

He nodded, “Good. Pain will be common in your quest to hunt down the demons. This isn’t an easy journey, as you could already tell from past events.”

I looked down and then back forward, “Yes. I know.”

He stopped in front of me and crossed his hooves, “That is also good. You need to know what you’re getting into. Now. Where is your sword?”

I lifted up the sword and looked at it, “Right h-”

He kicked the sword out of my hoof quickly. I couldn’t even react. He proceeded to put his hooves behind his back and smile, “Right where? I don’t see anything.”

I looked over at The Begotten and turned back to Sol, “Well it’s over there now!”

He looked over at it, “So it is,” he turned back to me, “so it slipped out of your hoof?”

I pointed at the sword, “You kicked it!”

He shook his head and smiled, “You did not hold onto it tightly enough.”

I scratched my head, “I guess so. I wasn’t ready.”

He shook his hoof in front of my face, “‘I wasn’t ready’ will not stop demons from attacking you. Be ready at all times.”

I nodded and walked over to my sword, picking it up, “Ok. I think I’m re-”

Sol tried to kick the sword out of my hoof, but I held it tightly this time and it only moved. He looked at The Begotten still in my hoof and smiled, “Good. You learned. I like fast learners.”

Blue laughed, “That’s what I said a while back!”

Sol glanced at Blue then turned back to me, “Now. Let’s move on.”

I tilted my head, “On to what?”

Sol looked up, “You have already fought before, and I don’t want to keep you training here for too long...”

I scratched my head, “So?”

He looked back at me, “We will fight.”

My eyes widened, “What?”

He nodded, “Yes.”

I shook my head, “Wai-”

Sol pulled his staff out and knelt down, swinging it to trip me and proceeded to stand back up to slam it down on me, but I rolled out of the way right before it hit the ground and got back on my feet, “I wasn’t ready!”

Sol shook his head and swung his staff toward me while I blocked it with my sword, “We already went over this, Digi. Demons aren’t going to wait.”

I pushed his staff away and swung my sword toward him, but he dodged out of the way by kneeling underneath it and then he thrust his staff toward my stomach, knocking the breath out of me. He then stood up, pulling the staff up quickly to hit my jaw, making me flip over and fall onto my back.

I quickly crawled away when he swung down toward me, the pole landing in between my legs. Vanilla looked away and my eyes widened as I gulped, “That was close.”

Sol smirked while lifting his staff to swing down on me again, but I held my sword up and blocked the attack, getting back up onto my feet.

He smiled and walked around me, “You are getting better, but you still have much more room for improvement.”

I shook my head, “Improvement?”

I smirked and slashed my sword toward him. He blocked the attack, but the force behind it threw him onto the ground.

I lifted my sword up to slice down on him, but Sol kicked me down onto my back. The sword fell out of my hoof when I struck the ground. Sol stood over me while smiling. He lifted up his staff and I closed my eyes.

All I heard was it lightly tap the ground and Sol chuckling. I opened my eyes and saw him leaning on the pole and looking down at me, “You also need to learn not to be cocky.”

I looked over at Vanilla, Blue, Kage and Kynes. Kynes was trying to get what looked like an apple away from a cherub, but the cherub kept dodging his grabs, while Kage and Blue just watched him and smiled. Vanilla was still staring intently at me, though.

I smiled at her as she smiled back and I turned to look at Sol, “I’ll work on that.”

He looked over at Kynes and the Cherub fighting over some food and chuckled, “It would seem that somepony is hungry. Maybe it’s time for lunch.”

Kynes looked over at us quickly and let go of the food the cherub was holding, “Lunch sounds good.”

I stood up and brushed myself off lightly, “I could go for some food.”

Sol put away his staff and walked toward a door. I guess that’s where they ate. We all followed him through the door while he smirked, “Sit anywhere you like. The food will be brought out shortly.”

It was a large room, probably because all the cherubs that were here. I sat down next to Vanilla and Blue. Kage and Kynes had to find another table.

Wait...

I looked over at Blue, “Where’s Misty?”

He looked at me and tilted his head, “She’s still sleeping? Hmmmm... Hold on a second.”

Blue stood up and walked out the door. I looked at Vanilla and smiled, “She’s tired, I guess.”

Vanilla laughed, “I guess so,” she paused and looked down at my body, “are you ok, honey?”

I smiled and held her hoof, “I’m fine.”

She smiled back at me and sat closer. After a little while, Blue walked through the door with Misty. She sat by Kage and Kynes while Blue came back to sit by me and Vanilla.

Kynes was doing what looked like magic tricks for Misty. I rolled my eyes and chuckled to myself as I watched, “First grade unicorn magic.”

Blue looked at Kynes and smiled, “He’s just entertaining the filly. Doesn’t have to be all fancy, now does he?”

I laughed and turned to Blue, “I guess not.”

I remembered back in Equestria when I used my magic to create scenes of wonder and amazement during plays and stories. Will I ever get to return?

Will I ever have another audience?

My thoughts ended when Sol walked out of the kitchen bringing out food. I put a smile on my face so that I wouldn’t worry anypony. A stupid thing to think about, judging by what else is going on.

*~*~*

It’s been about two weeks since that first day of training. I’ve healed enough to leave the sewers. I’ve trained enough to hunt down the demons. Me and the others climbed out of the sewers into the basement of an old abandoned house.

As I walked toward the stairs following everypony else, Sol tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to him, “I thought you said you don’t come up to the surface?”

Sol smiled and shook his head, “I’m in a basement. Not exactly out there, am I?”

I laughed, “That’s true.”

Sol reached into a bag he was holding, “But there’s a specific reason why I came up here before you left.”

He pulled out a key and handed it to me, “This is for an old cathedral located out of the city. I thought that since you’re used to churches, a cathedral would be a place you’d feel at home.”

I smiled and nodded, taking the key, “Thank you, Sol,” I put the key in my pocket and paused, “wait. How will I find the cathedral if I don’t know where to go?”

Sol looked down into the sewer and motioned for somepony to come up. A cherub flew out of the hole and landed by Sols side. Sol patted the cherub on its head as he looked at me, “He’ll show you the way. He’s yours now. This little guy is actually my first in command. Isn’t that right, Kypo.”

Kypo knelt down slightly, trying to avoid the the changeling’s hoof, “Don’t call me little.”

Sol laughed, “I think he’ll be a great addition to your team.”

The cherub flew up the stairs and I could hear Kynes yell from behind the door, “We’re taking one of these things?!”

I shook my head and looked at Sol, “Thank you for what you did.”

Sol nodded, “Like I said. It’s what I do.”

I smiled and turned to the stairs. Sol turned back to me before he crawled back into the sewers, “Oh. And Digi.”

I looked back at the changeling, “Yes, Sol?”

Sol smirked, “Make sure you hold tightly to that sword when you slice it into the demon's flesh.”

I smirked back at him, “I’ll also try not to be cocky while doing it.”

He chuckled and crawled down into the sewers, sliding the lid over the hole, “It was nice to meet you, Digi, and good luck!”

I smiled and walked up the stairs, “You, too, Sol... You, too...”

Episode 8: An Acquired Taste

Chapter 29 - History lesson

Kypo brought us to the cathedral. The walk there was pretty quiet. He had to pretend he was a little foal since the public didn’t know and probably wouldn’t like cherubs.

I walked up to the door of the stone cathedral. The building was beautiful. A stained glass window decorated the front of it, still intact, depicting Celestia and Luna working together. The symbol of harmony.

Even though the window was still intact, the building still had an ancient kind of feeling to it. Much like the church, but this place was older. I could tell. The architecture was the same as old pony times. It could have dated back to the very beginning of Celestia’s and Luna’s reign.

I looked at the building in awe, until I snapped out of it when I began to hear wings flapping behind me. I turned around and saw Kypo. He crossed his arms while hovering in front of me, “Are we going inside any time soon?”

I scratched my head and turned back to the door, inserting the key and unlocking it, “Yeah. Sorry.”

I opened the door and stepped inside. The sun shining through the stained glass window lit the floor with the image. An organ laid still intact behind the podium on the other side of the building. I walked toward it, going through the colored light, feeling the warmth of the sun's rays.

I felt good. I haven’t felt like this in a while. It reminded me of Equestria.

I could hear everypony else walk inside the building as Misty’s voice broke the silence, “Who are the two alicorns?”

I paused and my eyes widened. I turned to look at Misty. Vanilla, Blue, Kage, Kynes and Kypo were also staring at her. Misty shrugged, “What? I don’t know who they are.”

Kypo landed and facehoofed, “You can’t be serious. They’re extremely important in pony history.”

Vanilla knelt down beside her, “Well she has lived in The Pit all her life. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t know about them.”

Kypo walked toward Misty, “Well allow me to explain. They are the two sisters, the white one Celestia and black one Luna, who controlled the sun and moon. Celestia had domain over the day as Luna had domain over the night. They lived in harmony until Luna became jealous over her sister, as ponies would play during Celestia’s day, while they slept during Luna’s beautiful nights. Luna turned away from her sister and wanted to throw the world into an everlasting night, but Celestia stopped her and banished her to the moon to end her terror. One thousand years later, she returned-”

Kynes stopped the cherub, “Wait wait wait. How the hell do you know about pony history?”

Kypo looked at Kynes, “Am I not allowed to know about history?”

Kynes shook his head, “No. It’s just that you’re not a pony.”

Kypo looked down and began to fly, “I’ll be headed up to one of the beams. I’ll sleep there. The barracks for the monks who used to live here are in the back. You’ll find the door. I think I explained enough about Celestia and Luna to the filly. If she needs to know more, I’m sure one of you can help her.”

Kypo flew up to the roof and disappeared behind one of the beams. I turned to look at the back of the building and spotted the door. Kynes was right to be suspicious. He wasn’t even a pony, yet he knew all about pony history. Why?

Maybe I’m just worrying too much, again. Like he said, is he not allowed to know about history?

Misty ran up beside me, “Can you tell me more about the two sisters?”

I smiled. I haven’t really had the chance to hear or talk about the story for a long time. Ever since I left Equestria. I glanced down at the filly, “Sure. Where did Kypo leave off?”

Misty jumped and put her hooves up in the air, “Luna was banished to the moon!”

I laughed and opened the door. Behind it were five doors leading to different rooms. Two on either side of the hallway and one at the end. No doubt that was the room where the father of the cathedral slept when this place was still in use. I walked toward that door and continued, “That’s right. Once she was banished, Celestia controlled both the moon and sun. However, Luna returned after one thousand years, now named Nightmare Moon. She once again tried to make the world plummet into an eternal night.”

Misty gasped, “What happened?”

I smiled, “Celestia’s student, Twilight Sparkle, stopped her with the help of her newly found friends in Ponyville.”

Misty hopped while following me, “How? How? How?!”

I chuckled, “The Elements of Harmony. Kindness, honesty, laughter, generosity, loyalty, and last but not least, magic, the element that brings them all together. Six friends. Six elements. That night, Nightmare Moon was defeated, and Luna returned. She apologized to her sister and was once again put in charge of the moon and the night it was held in. The two sisters were back together, and the harmony between them was restored.”

Misty’s eyes widened, “Wow... Twilight Sparkle sounds awesome!”

I laughed and opened up the door, “What about her other friends?”

Misty tilted her head, “What were their names?”

I walked into the room. It had a wooden floor and ceiling with stone walls. The bed had red and white sheets covering it. I looked at Misty, “Fluttershy resembled the element of Kindness, Apple Jack resembled the element of honesty, Pinkie Pie resembled the element of laughter, Rarity resembled the element of generosity, Rainbow Dash resembled the element of loyalty, and Twilight Sparkle resembled the element of magic.”

Vanilla walked in the room, “I always liked Fluttershy and Rarity. I have a hard time choosing between them.”

I smiled at Vanilla, “Well Rarity is pretty hot.”

Vanilla hit me and I chuckled. Misty scratched her head, “What?”

I continued to chuckle while shaking my head, “It’s nothing, Misty. Why don’t you go find your room?”

Misty nodded and ran out of the room. I looked at Vanilla, smiled, and shrugged, “Well she is.”

Vanilla pushed me onto the bed and closed the door, “How do you know?”

I chuckled, “I knew her along with everypony, else.”

Vanilla paused, “Wait. You knew the six friends? The Elements of Harmony? How?!”

I relaxed on the bed, “I lived in Ponyville.”

Vanilla sat next to me, “Really?”

I nodded, “Yeah. I never really got to talk to them, but from what I saw, they were nice... Well... Fluttershy once lost it and started to yell at everypony,” I shrugged, “but that happens to the best of us.”

Vanilla laughed, “There’s no way Fluttershy did that. From the stories I heard while I lived in Fillydelphia-”

I sat up in the bed quickly, “You lived in Fillydelphia?!”

Vanilla laughed and nodded, “Mhm. I heard stories of what they did in the news.”

I laid back down, “Wow. That’s amazing. I never got to visit Fillydelphia. Always stayed near Ponyville.”

Vanilla laid down next to me, “It was nice there. Not the best place, but it was ok.”

I sighed, “I bet it’s better than The Pit.”

She snuggled up to me, “Yeah... If I ever return to Equestria, I think I’ll live in Ponyville. I want a simple life.”

I smiled, “It’s hard to find a place there. All the homes are pretty much already taken. It’s called a small town for a reason.”

She closed her eyes, “That’s true. I guess I’ll live in Fillydelphia again for a few years until I have enough bits and there’s room in Ponyville. I think that sounds like a good plan.”

I looked up at the ceiling, “Yeah. A good plan.”

Great. This only gives me more of a reason to get Vanilla and Misty out of The Pit. Vanilla is not only pregnant, but is also starting to really believe she’ll get back to Equestria. I will get them out of here, but how?

I closed my eyes and mumbled to myself, “Damn it.”

Vanilla looked at me, “What?”

I opened my eyes and looked back at her, “Nothing... I just need to go and talk to Kypo about things.”

Vanilla nodded, “Ok,” she sat up, “I’ll be right here.”

I looked at her stomach and smiled. It had been sticking out more and more recently. I continued smiling and rubbed it, “Hello little guy. Or girl. Don’t know who you are.”

Vanilla smiled at me, “I told you I was pregnant.”

I looked at her, “We went over this back in the sewers with Sol, honey. We don’t need to go over it again.”

She giggled, “I know,” she looked down at her stomach and put her hoof over it, “it’s just I told you so.”

She sighed and looked at me, “I can’t wait till they’re born... I love you.”

I smiled and kissed her, “I love you, too. I’ll be back later.”

She nodded, “Ok. I’ll rest,” Vanilla yawned, “carrying this thing around is tiring.”

I opened the door and chuckled, “I bet it is, but it’s for a good cause.”

Vanilla laid down, “Yes it is.”

I closed the door behind me and began to walk toward the one leading into the main part of the cathedral.

I had to talk to Kypo about the demons. I had to talk to him about Gluttony. I was going to avenge Storm.

Chapter 30 - Planning the attack

I walked inside the main building and looked up toward the beam Kypo landed on, “Kypo!”

The cherub looked down at me and began to fly down, “Yeah? What do you want?”

I walked closer to him so he wouldn’t have to fly as far, “I wanted to talk to you about the demons. Specifically Gluttony.”

Saying his name made my eyes water slightly. Memories of the church and Storm came back. That night filled my thoughts.

Kypo landed in front of me and crossed his arms, “I see. The demon Gluttony. Hunger Pain.”

I scratched my head, “Hunger Pain?”

Kypo sat down in one of the pews, “Yeah. It’s his pony name. All the demons have one so they can fit in with the rest of us. Like Crimson Tear or Rose. Two demons I know you’ve met.”

I looked down, “It... It has a name?”

I closed my eyes and a tear slowly streamed down my cheek, “They all have names.”

I knew Bloodshed and Lust had names, but I never really thought about them. Those things. Those demons, having pony names.

No...

A thing like that doesn’t deserve a name. None of them deserve names. For what they are doing. For what they have done. They only deserve death. Gluttony only deserves death.

The tear fell down from my cheek. I brought out my sword and looked at Kypo, “Where is he?”

Kypo paused and began flying, “Woah. Calm down there, sparky.”

I stepped closer toward him, “Where is he?!”

Kypo flew higher up, “Now is not the time to hunt down demons, Digi.”

I looked up at Kypo, “Then when is?!”

Kypo sighed, “Not today?”

I looked down, calming myself, “Please... please just tell me...”

Kypo landed down next to me, “Look. I hate to be the emotional type, but you need to spend some time with your friends. You need to wait for a little while.”

I looked down at the cherub, “Sol said demon’s don’t wait.”

The cherub flew into my face, “Listen to me! If you go out there just all of a sudden without a plan, they’re going to kill you! Then no pony will take care of Misty or Vanilla! And the little one on the way. Don’t expect him to come into a good world, or come at all with you gone. Think before you act! Choose your battles!”

I paused. My eyes widened. Those words.

“Choose your battles...”

I stepped back and put away the sword. I hung my head, “Blue...”

I ran into the barracks, leaving Kypo just watching me. Storm died. What if Blue was next? I never really listened to what he said. How could I have been so stupid?

I opened the door to the room he was staying in. Blue turned to look at me, “What are you doin’, my b-”

I ran up to him and hugged him tightly. A few tears running down my cheek. I clenched up, “Thank you so much.”

Blue looked down at me as I looked back up at him. He tilted his head, “What’s wrong, boi o?”

“I’m sorry for not listening to you. I’ll choose my battles more wisely! I promise!”

Blue’s eyes widened. He smiled and hugged me back, “It’s ok. Sometimes even fast learners like you take time to understand something.”

Kypo walked into the room and I turned to look at him. He crossed his arms and sighed, “Look. We can go after Gluttony tonight. It’s just we need to think of a plan.”

I wiped my eyes, “Are you sure?”

Kypo nodded, “Sol is right. Demons don’t wait. Your battle was already chosen. This is what needs to be done.”

I wiped my eyes, “Ok... Where is he?”

Kypo began to fly, “He’s in a mansion, actually. Him and Greed.”

I stepped forward, “Gr-Greed? Who the hell is Greed?!”

Kypo flew closer to me, “His pony name is Blackjack. He runs the show for all of the gangs here in The Pit,” Kypo chuckled, “one of them you already got rid of. He rakes in all the money from the gangs, too. That’s the reason for the mansion.”

I scratched my head, “Is the mansion abandoned like the other places the demons stayed?”

Kypo shook his head, “No. There are actually a lot of bodyguards protecting Blac-”

Kypo noticed how I didn’t care much for their pony names, “Greed. It could very well be a private army. There’s certainly enough of them, and that’s where we have a problem. How do we get past the bodyguards to get to Gluttony?”

I crossed my arms, “I don’t even know what the mansion looks like, so I don’t have a clue.”

Blue stepped into the conversation, “Isn’t Kage a pegasus?”

I looked back to Blue, “Yeah?”

Blue looked at Kypo, “And I’m gonna go out on a limb and say this mansion has a roof on it.”

Kypo nodded, “Yes, and I think I see what you’re getting at. There is, in fact a way to get inside the building from on top of the roof. Best thing, there are no guards up there because no pony is supposed to be up there in the first place.”

I turned back to Kypo, “So what’s our way inside?”

Kypo flew a little higher, “I can fly up there, no problem. As for Kage, he’ll be picking you and Kynes up to put you both on the roof. Once that’s done, there’s a balcony on the side of the mansion that we could land on. The door to the balcony is our ticket inside. Once in, we head to the dining room, where the fat ass is no doubt devouring some kind of food,” Kypo shakes his head in disgust, “maybe even eating a pony.”

I looked at the ground and then back up at Kypo, “Ok. When do we go?”

Kypo landed and crossed his arms, “Tonight... Didn’t I already say this?”

I scratched my head, “Yeah. Sorry.”

Kypo walked out the door, “I’ll go explain the plan to Kage and Kynes. Go talk to Vanilla or Misty or whoever.”

I turned to Blue, “So what will you be doing?”

He smiled and sat down on an old bed, “I guess I’ll just be here looking after your two girls. Making sure they’re safe and all,” he scratched his head, “but will you be safe, boi-o?”

I smiled back at him, “I’ll be fine. I got this blade with me,” I pulled out the blade slightly and sheathed it again, “not to mention Kage, Kynes and Kypo.”

He laughed, “Yeah. You are quite the bunch, aren’t ya?.. Well. I guess you better go tell Vanilla the news. She’ll be wanting to know what’s going on.”

I nodded and walked out. Vanilla might be mad, but she needed to know, and who knows. Maybe this time she’ll understand that it needs to be done.

I walked into the room and saw Vanilla and Misty sitting in the bed together talking and giggling. They both looked at me and Vanilla smiled, “Hello, darling. Me and Misty were talking about The Elements of Harmony.”

Misty stood up out of bed, “Rainbow Dash sounded awesome!”

I laughed, remembering her always speaking highly of the Wonder Bolts and how she was going to join them. I wonder if she ever did...

I smiled and looked at Vanilla, “I need to talk to you.”

Vanilla nodded and Misty left. I sat down on the bed and Vanilla sat closer to me, “What’s wrong?”

I looked down, “Me, Kage, Kynes and Kypo will be headed out tonight to kill Gluttony.”

Vanilla sighed, “I understand you have to do this... but isn’t this rushing it?”

I shook my head, “No... I don’t think so, and besides, they’re not taking breaks.”

She held me close to her, “I guess you’re right. Well...”

She paused for a long time and then looked up at me with a smile, “I love you.”

I looked down at her and smiled back, “I love you, too.”

She sighed, “I guess you should go get ready. I’m going to rest some more.”

I put my hoof on her stomach and smiled. She smiled back up at me. I put my snout against hers, “Whether it be a mare or colt, they’ll have a great mother.”

She kissed me, “They’ll have an even greater father.”

I hugged her and left, letting her lay back down to rest. I smiled and teared up slightly at what Vanilla said.

I walked out into the cathedral. Kage, Kynes and Kypo were already standing there. Kypo looked at me, “You ready?”

I wiped my eyes and nodded while smiling. Kynes smirked, “Let’s go kill that fat ass.”

I smiled and pulled out my sword, “Maybe we can help him shave off a few pounds.”

Kypo chuckled and began to fly toward the door as we all followed him. Tonight Gluttony pays for what he did to Storm. Tonight he dies.

Chapter 31 - Don’t call me little

The sun was already setting as we made it to the mansion. We had walked to the side of a stone wall that surrounded the building. It seemed we had silently agreed that this was the best place to start our plan due to the fact that there were no guards around here.

Kage stepped forward, raising his wings and putting his hooves out, “Who’s first?”

Kypo began to fly up onto the roof as me and Kynes watched him. Kynes looked at me, “I hate flying.”

I chuckled, “You’re scared of heights?”

Kynes shook his head, “No. I’m scared of falling. It’s perfectly logical to be scared of falling.”

I looked at Kage while shrugging, “I guess I’ll go first.”

Kage nodded and held onto me, beginning to fly me up. He placed me on the roof and went back to get Kynes. I looked around for Kypo and saw him flying off to the side of the roof, “Over here. The balcony is right down here.”

He flew down as I slid toward him. I crawled down from the roof and landed on the balcony. Kypo looked at me as I dusted myself off, “Ok. Now we just wait for the other two to get here, then we enter. Just follow me and I’ll take you to Gluttony.”

I nodded and looked up, seeing Kage carrying Kynes, who looked extremely bored yet scared.

Once they landed on the balcony, completely skipping the roof, Kynes brushed himself off and twitched slightly, “I hate flying so much.”

Kage shrugged, “I don’t have a problem with it.”

Kynes squinted his eyes at Kage, “You’re a fucking pegasus! Of course you don’t have a problem with it.”

Kypo flew into Kynes’ face, “Shut it,” he flew toward the door of the balcony and opened it, “you sound like a damn mare.”

Kage and I both chuckled as Kynes put his hooves up, “Well fuck you, too, shorty.”

Kypo turned around, “Don’t call me small, filly.”

Kynes crossed his arms, “I’ll call you whatever I want, tiny.”

Kypo sighed and flew toward the door on the other side of the room the balcony connected to, “Let’s just get to Gluttony.”

Me, Kage and Kynes nodded. Kynes was about to say something else, but both Kage and I looked at him. He sighed and kept his mouth shut.

We slowly walked through the hallway and down some stairs. We quickly ducked inside a room at the bottom of the stairs when we heard another pony beginning to walk toward us through the hall around the corner.

The room we were in was pretty dark. Kypo shut the door lightly and turned on the lights. It was a small bedroom. A guest bedroom, probably.

Me, Kage and Kynes looked around the room for a little while. It looked extremely nice. We haven’t been in a comfortable setting like this in quite some time.

Kypo looked back at us and whispered, “He’s gone. Let’s get down to the dining hall.”

I nodded and walked toward him while he opened the door. Kage and Kynes followed close behind.

We walked through the hall toward an arch that led to a rather large room. Guards were standing by double doors that led outside. This must have been the foyer. There were two stairways that went down to the first floor.

Kypo looked at us, “The dining hall is down there. There will be a door on the other side of the room where we stand right now. Inside that arch will be a hallway and two doors that lead into the dining hall on the right, but it looks like those guards won’t be moving, and there will likely be more in the hall. So are you guys ready to fight?”

I looked at my sword. Storm said something about wasting power on normal ponies. I didn’t have a weapon if that was the case. Kage still had his pole and the guards were holding tommy guns, so I’m sure Kynes will make use out of those. I might as well take one when I can, too.

I turned to Kypo, “I can’t use my sword on these guys, but I’m ready.”

Kypo nodded, “Alright. Me and Kage will take point and take out those guards so that you and the filly get guns.”

Kynes rolled his eyes, “Shut up and get down there, shorty.”

Kypo rolled his eyes and looked at Kage, “You ready?”

Kage nodded and Kypo turned back around, “Let’s do this.”

Kypo and Kage both ran down the stairs. The guards paused for a second, surprised by them both. Kage was able to get there fast enough to knock the guns out of their hooves with his pole before they could lift them up to shoot. Me and Kynes nodded at each other and ran down toward them.

Kynes picked his gun up and pointed it at one of the guards, but slowly lowered it. I looked at the guards to see why.

Kage had already knocked them out by hitting them in the head with his pole. Kynes turned to him, “Well thanks for letting us have a turn.”

Kage put the steel pipe away, “I don’t think we want to be shooting up the place if we can avoid it.”

Kynes shrugged and sighed, “Fine.”

Kypo kicked the two guards lightly, “They’re out cold. Let’s get to the dining hall and get this over with before some others find them.”

We all nodded and continued toward the archway where the two doors that lead into the dining hall were. I slammed the door open with Kynes right beside me and started to fire blindly into the room, unloading an entire clip.

Once we heard the clicks of the guns, we threw them down. Guards were fallen on the ground around the big pony sitting at the table eating something. It was Gluttony.

The wounds from the bullets that hit him healed up fairly quickly as he just continued to eat. Not even caring what just happened.

Kage pushed me and Kynes, “What the hell?! I thought I said no guns blazing?”

Kynes shrugged and pointed at me, “He started it.”

I looked at Kynes and shook my head, “Yeah. I guess I did, but I just want to get this over with.”

Kypo sighed, “Well he’s right there, Digi. Get it over with,” he mumbled under his breath, “you stupid son of a bitch.”

I sighed and turned to Gluttony, pulling out my sword. I clenched my hoof around the handle. He was the one that killed Storm. If it wasn’t for him... Storm could have walked away from that burning church.

I walked toward Gluttony. He put down the piece of meat he was eating and looked up at me, “You know, Digi. You look like you could eat some more. Would you like some?”

He held up a piece of his food. I gagged slightly and shook my head. What kind of pony eats meat? That’s disgusting, but I guess he wasn’t a pony...

He sighed and put it back on his plate, “That’s a shame... Changeling is an acquired taste, I guess.”

My eyes widened and I stepped toward him, “Ch-changeling?”

He smirked, “Oh yes. The best part with this particular one,” he took a bite out of it, “he was already cooked.”

Chapter 32 - A wager

I gulped and my eyes began to water, “You’re eating... St-Storm?”

Gluttony smiled and shrugged, “I had to finish my meal.”

I fell to the ground. Kypo looked at me and then turned back to Gluttony, “How about you stop stuffing your face and fight us, fat ass!”

Gluttony smirked, strands of meat stuck in his smile. He placed the rest of it on his plate and stood up, beginning to drool, “Good. Seconds.”

He began to run straight toward me, but Kage tackled him down. I couldn’t get back up. I closed my eyes. Everything around me disappeared. The world went silent. A tear fell from my face as I stood up and gripped onto my sword tightly.

I turned to Gluttony, “I promised him I’d finish what he started.”

Gluttony pushed Kage off and stood back up while Kynes and Kypo stood away from the demon, “You’ll never kill us all,” he licked his teeth, “War is too powerful for you, and Death never shows himself.”

I stepped toward him, “Death?”

Gluttony grabbed me and smirked, “You won’t have to worry about either of them soon.”

Kage, Kynes and Kypo all began to attack Gluttony, but he ignored it and opened his mouth. He positioned his teeth around my left shoulder and began to bite down, but I ignored the pain. I thrust my blade into his stomach, making him stop. His eyes widened in pain.

I leaned toward him, shoving the sword deeper into his gut and whispered into his ear, “You forgot that I have Storm’s sword,” I twisted it inside of him, making him moan in pain and drop me, “tell death I’m waiting.”

Gluttony fell to his knees and looked up at me, my sword still stuck in him, “You won’t kill us all, Digi. You can’t.”

I pulled the sword out of him and lifted it above his head, “Maybe not, but you’ll be one less.”

I sliced it down toward his head, but he stopped it with his hoof, “So tonight Gluttony dies...”

He sighed, the sword slowly piercing through his hoof, “One day you’ll meet Death... One day you’ll know how it feels.”

The sword cut through his hoof and into his head.

I removed the blade, “Not today.”

He fell and turned to dust.

So... There is a demon named Death? I felt as if I never really wanted to meet that demon... As if that demon and I ever did meet, I wouldn’t be able to tell the story.

I stood there for a few seconds until Kynes looked at me and asked, “Are you ok?”

I snapped out of it, turning to him and the others, “I’m fine,” I looked around, “let’s get out of here before the guards ambush us.”

Kypo shrugged, “What about Greed?”

I shook my head and began to walk toward the door, “Greed can wait.”

Kynes shrugged and followed me. Kage and Kypo walked behind him. We exited into the foyer. I turned to the stairs and noticed guards all along the overhang where both stairways led. Their guns were down, and a pony in the middle of them all began clapping.

He had a cane and was wearing a very expensive suit. He had a white coat and a sapphire colored mane. His eyes looked like rubies.

This must be Greed.

He leaned over the railing, “Good job, Digi. You seem to have killed my friend, Gluttony, and I use the term ‘friend’ loosely. I never much liked him. Always ate my food, but somepony had to look after him.”

Kypo began to fly, “Hello, Greed.”

Greed looked at him, “Oh. Hello, little thing.”

Kypo yelled and flew toward Greed, but Kage pulled him back.

Greed tilted his head, “Yes... Charming,” he turned back to me and sighed, “anyways! So, Digi. I’m guessing since you’re hunting us demons I will be next? I’m only asking because Gluttony has been dealt with, and might I say that you are quite the little worker. You go rather quickly.”

I stepped forward, “I wasn’t going to kill you tonight.”

Greed crossed his arms, “Oh? I see. Very honorable of you. One demon at a time, it seems. Very interesting. I didn’t plan on dying tonight, if it was any consolation. I have plans, but tomorrow night is another story entirely,” he smirked, “if you would like to make a wager?”

I stepped back, “A wager?”

Greed smirked, “Yes. A wager. I will let you go. You can go back to wherever you filthy ponies stay and I won’t chase after you, but for that to happen, you must leave your sword here. You die, I keep the sword, and if I die,” he grinned, “I’ll give you two tickets out of here to go back to Equestria. I know you have two ponies you really care about.”

I stopped for a second. If I do this, he’ll give me two tickets back to Equestria... Vanilla and Misty could leave The Pit, but I would have to leave my sword here... If that happened there would be no way I could kill Greed.

I shook my head, “Not happening.”

The guards lifted their guns and pointed them at us. Greed chuckled, “It’s the only way you’ll get out of here safely. If you move... well... let’s just say you won’t get very far.”

I looked around. He was right. Damn it. I looked up at him, “If I don’t have my sword, how will I be able to kill you tomorrow. Regular weapons do nothing to you.”

Greed smiled, “That’s where it gets interesting. I’ll hide it where we’re going. While we are fighting, you’ll have to find it. A little game of hide and go seek, but a slight bit deadlier.”

I shook my head. I had to do it if we wanted to get out without dying, “Fine,” I dropped the sword, “where will you be?”

He smirked, “The old casino. The one that used to belong to Big Don. You remember. The Oasis.”

I nodded. Wait...

I looked back up at him, “What do you mean by ‘old’?”

Greed crossed his arms, “After you killed Big Don and his son, no pony ran the place, so it had to shut down. Now it’s abandoned. It’s sad, too. Most of my bits came from that place,” he sighed, “oh well. Be off. Go. Shoo. I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow.”

He turned away from us and walked off. His guards continued to stare us down while we walked out the door of the mansion and continued back to the cathedral. My sword, no longer with me.

I thought about all of this while we walked. Where would he hide it? How will I find it while he’s attacking me? Will I... die?..

We were back on the street. Kypo looked at me, “Are you sure this will be ok?”

I continued to walk, “I honestly don’t know. It feels odd to leave my sword behind. I’m so used to it being with me now. I’m worried.”

Kypo nodded and Kynes came closer, “I’m sure he’ll be no problem. You can do it.”

Kage jumped in, “Yeah. Don’t worry about it. He won’t stand a chance.”

I looked down and sighed while continuing to walk toward the cathedral, “I hope so...”

Episode 9: Ash to Ash

Chapter 32 - The night before

We walked back into the cathedral. Everypony was silent. They tried to act like they weren’t worried earlier, but they were. I was, too.

Kynes tapped my shoulder, “What are you going to tell Vanilla?”

I looked down. I didn’t even think about telling Vanilla. She’d be furious, but I knew I had to tell her.

I looked back up to Kynes, “I have to tell her. I have to tell her that she and Misty might be getting tickets back to Equestria.”

Kypo jumped in, “Why don’t you say that, but leave out the part with leaving your sword behind?”

I sighed, “How would I do that?”

Kypo shrugged, “Maybe tell her that you left it with me so that I’d look after it?”

I shook my head, “That would never work. She knows that I would never do that.”

Kage put his hoof on my shoulder, “I think you should tell her. Just be honest,” he crossed his arms, “there should be trust in a relationship.”

Kynes and Kypo slowly turned to look at Kage. Kage shrugged, “What? That’s how it should be!”

Kynes chuckled, “Yeah...”

Kypo shook his head and turned back to me, “Anyways. Now that doctor emotion is done, I have to agree. Tell her the truth about what’s going on.”

I nodded, “Yeah... I guess you’re right.”

We stood there for a second until the sound of a thunderstorm began. Kypo looked at us, “I should be getting to bed.”

Kage and Kynes both nodded. Kage turned to me, “Goodnight.”

I nodded back to Kage, “You, too.”

We all left to our beds. I opened the door to my room and saw Vanilla laying down under the covers. She looked up at me and smiled, “Digi!”

She stood up quickly and ran over to me, hugging me, “I’m so glad you’re ok!”

I hugged her back and kissed her forehead, “I have some news.”

She glanced over me, “Where’s your sword?”

I tilted my head, “That’s part of the news...”

Vanilla stepped back, “Digi... What did you do?”

Oh Celestia... Here we go...

I sighed, “I may have left it at the mansion where Gluttony was at to get out safely.”

Vanilla’s eyes widened, “What?!”

I scratched my head, “They had us pinned down. Greed made a wager with me,” I tilted my head, “although now that I think about it, it seemed more like a proposition.”

Vanilla hit me, “Wager?! What kind of deal did you make with a demon?!”

I rubbed where she hit, “Ow! He said that if I leave my sword there, he would let us go and tell me where he would be at tomorrow night. Once we get there, he would have already hidden the sword somewhere nearby. While I fight him, I’ll have to find the sword.”

She groaned, “UGH!.. Well...” she looked down, “I guess since you had to do it to get out of there without getting hurt, it’s ok...”

I put my hooves on her shoulders, “If I beat him, he’ll give me two tickets back to Equestria.”

She looked back up at me, “Only two?..”

I tilted my head, “Yeah... What’s wrong?”

She looked down and closed her eyes, “I want you to go, too...”

I hugged her, “I need to stay here and fulfill my promise to Storm...”

She began to cry on my shoulder, “But I don’t want to leave you...”

I kissed her cheek and looked into her eyes, “I’ll be there with you.”

More tears streamed down her face, “How do you know?”

I kissed her, “Even if I’m not right beside you, I’ll be on your mind, as you will be on mine.”

She closed her eyes and hugged me tightly, “I love you, Digi.”

I hugged her back, “I love you, too.”

I just stood there hugging her for a little while. If I wasn’t sure of it before, I was now. This was love. It made me think... why wasn’t this feeling an element of harmony?

Maybe...

The elements are what make love...

I smiled at the thought as she looked into my eyes, “I think it’s time for bed, honey.”

I chuckled slightly, “Yeah.”

We both laid down and closed our eyes. She fell asleep before me. I had other things on my mind. Things like not having my sword and fighting Greed...

There was no sense in keeping myself awake thinking about those things, though. I needed sleep. I held tightly onto Vanilla and drifted off.

Chapter 33 - Not what it used to be

I woke up before Vanilla who was still fast asleep. I got out of bed slowly to let her rest. A pregnant mare deserves to sleep in.

I walked out of the room and into the cathedral. Everyone was up. Blue was playing tag with Misty while Kage, Kynes and Kypo were talking and laughing. I smiled. Everyone seemed pretty happy.

Kage noticed me and his laughter died down. Kynes and Kypo turned to see what he was looking at and their smiles disappeared, too. I closed my eyes and walked toward them.

Why did they stop smiling just because of me?

I scratched my head and looked at them, “So what’s going on?”

Kynes crossed his arms, “We were just laughing at Blue and Misty.”

I chuckled, “Yeah. They’re pretty funny, aren’t they?”

Kage smiled slightly, “Yeah...”

Kypo jumped into the conversation, “So Digi. Have you got a plan for tonight? Do you know how you’re going to defeat Greed?”

I sighed, “No clue... I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I don’t know where he’s gonna hide the sword.”

Misty stopped chasing Blue and looked at me, “Sword? You mean the glowy one?”

I smiled and looked down at her, “Yes... the glowy one.”

She tilted her head, “Maybe you should have listened to Sol better and gripped it tighter?”

I laughed, “That’s not the reason I don’t have it with me.”

She sighed and went back to chasing Blue, “Whatever you say, Slippy Hooves!”

Kynes laughed and looked at me, “Slippy Hooves?”

Kage smiled, “I think we found Digi’s nickname.”

Kypo shook his head, “Now’s not the time to make names and jokes.”

I sighed, “Kypo... There’s no way to plan this. We can’t.”

Kypo flew toward me and then sighed, backing down, “I guess you’re right. So what do we do?”

Kynes shrugged, “Do you have anything in mind, Digi?”

I shook my head, “Not that I can think of, no.”

Kynes sighed, “Well this is turning out to be a boring day.”

Kage stepped back, “How about we go out on the town?”

Kypo crossed his arms, “No. Not with what happened last night.”

Kage sighed, “Then what do we do?”

Kypo shrugged, “I suppose we just stay here for today.”

Kynes moaned, “Ugh! This is the worst day ever.”

Blue and Misty laughed and looked at us. Blue breathed heavily, “Why don’t you play tag with us?”

Misty jumped up and down, “Come on! It’ll be really fun!”

Me, Kage and Kynes all looked at each other. I shrugged, “It could be fun.”

Kynes also shrugged, “Better than just standing here all day.”

Kage nodded, “Let’s play tag, then.”

Kypo sighed, “Ok. You three play games. I have some things to think about.”

I watched Kypo fly back up to the beam he sleeps on. What did he have to think about?

Kage tapped me, “Come on, Digi. You’re it.”

I turned back around and every pony ran away laughing. I smiled and chased after them.

*~*~*

Night came quickly. It seemed like fun times weren’t as long as they used to be... and not as fun either when you have all this other stuff to think of.

I miss the old days... I miss having fun, but at least I have memories.

The storm returned after a while. Mostly rain rather than thunder.

Kypo flew up to me, “Are you ready?”

I sighed and nodded, “As I’ll ever be.”

Kypo nodded back to me and looked at Kage and Kynes, “You guys ready?”

Kage shrugged, “I guess.”

Kynes sighed and groaned, “I was it!”

Kypo shook his head, “It’s time to go, filly.”

Misty looked at Kypo, “What?”

Kypo and Kynes looked at Misty. Kypo sighed, “Nothing. I was talking to Kynes.”

Misty giggled, “You’re a filly?”

Kynes mumbled and walked out of the door. Kypo turned to me, “Too much?”

I shrugged and turned to Misty as we began to walk out, “I’ll be back in a little while, Misty. Be good.”

She nodded and smiled at me, “Be safe!”

I smiled back and turned to the door, walking out of the cathedral and into the rain. She had no idea what I was going out to do. My smile disappeared as I spoke softly to myself, “Yeah... Safe...”

Chapter 34 - Dust to dust

The storm was still going strong by the time we made it to The Oasis. The place was abandoned. The once busy street was baron. The prostitutes that worked here were gone. The gamblers and drunks were nowhere to be found. Made you question if you’d rather have all of them here or to be alone, because being alone meant that you’d never know what evil thing might come out of the dark.

We all walked up to the club’s doors and I knocked on it.

We waited for what seemed like ages out in the rain until finally Greed answered the door and smiled at me, “Nice to see you remembered the way here. Come in.”

I walked in with Kage, Kynes and Kypo close behind me, but Greed stopped them with a rapier he had unsheathed, “I’m sorry, gentlecolts, but this quarrel is only between me and Digi.”

Kypo began to fly toward Greed, “Like hell it is!”

Greed shut the door and yanked me in before the others could come in, “Really... Charming character.”

I turned to him, “Why aren’t they allowed in?!”

Greed smirked, “This deal was between you and I. Not them. I am a stallion of my word.”

I stepped toward him, “You aren’t a stallion.”

He sighed, “True. Why do I continue to play along with this ruse?”

I shook my head and turned around to begin searching for my sword. Greed smiled and began walking toward me, “I guess that means ‘go’”

Greed ran toward me and slashed his blade at me, but I knelt below it and rolled away. Greed began chasing after me as I ran, looking frantically for my sword.

I turned toward the stage that the band was playing on when I was here with Kage and Kynes. Greed’s rapier came dangerously close to piercing into my head. Instead, it cut into my shoulder, making me stumble and fall.

I began to crawl back onto my feet as Greed walked over me, shaking his head, “This is sad, Digi... I really thought you’d be the one to do it.”

I turned to look at him, “The one to do what?”

He smirked, “To kill us all.”

He lifted his sword over me, readying it to stab into my heart. I closed my eyes and time seemed to slow down.

Memories rushed back to me. The lush fields and crystal waters of Equestria. The fun times I had in Ponyville with friends. The days I put smiles on ponies faces... My love for Vanilla... The times I made Misty smile... Blue acting like the father I never had... Kage being there when I needed it... Kynes never failing to make me laugh... Kypo... I never actually understood Kypo...

Storm... I miss Storm... I wish I could’ve got to know him a little better. He seemed so kind. So misunderstood. No wonder he hid under that disguise. The world didn’t understand him, but he seemed to understand the world more than me.

A tear rolled down my cheek. Greed’s blade was lifted over his head and he smiled down at me, “Soon you won’t have to worry, Digi. You had a good run, kid.”

I turned my head and my eyes widened at what I saw. It couldn’t be...

Greed was pushed over by another pony wearing a mask right before his sword pierced into me. The pony took off his mask and held his hoof out to help me up. I grabbed his hoof as I looked at him, “Mr. Chyne?”

Mr. Chyne smiled and brought me back up, “Glad you remembered me.”

Greed stood up and ran toward us, “This quarrel doesn’t involve you, stallion!”

Greed slashed toward us both, but Mr. Chyne and I ducked under his attack and began running away. Mr. Chyne looked at me, “Maybe we should wait to talk after we deal with this pony?”

I began looking for my sword again, “He isn’t a pony.”

Mr. Chyne dodged another one of Greed’s attacks and tilted his head at me, “What?”

I got up onto the stage, “I’ll tell you later.”

Mr. Chyne nodded, “Good plan.”

Greed shook his head and began chasing after me once again. I looked up into one of the cages the mares were dancing in when this place was still running. My sword was trapped inside of it.

I ran toward the rope that let the cage down, but Greed’s sword once again slashed toward me, hitting my side.

I yelled and put my hoof on the wound, but continued to run toward the rope.

Mr. Chyne jumped toward Greed, but the demon caught him and threw him down, “I’ve had enough of this.”

I made it to the rope and I heard Greed’s rapier slicing through the air toward my head. I ducked quickly and the blade cut the rope, making the cage fall.

I rolled under Greed’s sword toward the cage and picked up The Begotten, unsheathing it and turning back towards Greed.

Greed turned slowly to face me and smiled, “Nicely done, Digi. You’ve got some good friends, don’t you?”

He dusted himself off and closed his eyes, “I’m going to enjoy this fight,” he put his sword up, pointing it toward me and smirked, “engard.”

I slashed toward him, but he blocked the attack and tripped me. He smiled down at me, “Get up.”

I looked up at him and tilted my head while standing back up. Why didn’t he just kill me?

I slashed toward him again, but he dodged out of the way of my attack and parried. I rolled under his sword, however, and cut the back of his legs, causing him to fall as he looked at me, “Getting better, but you need more force!”

He stood back up and began furiously swinging his sword toward me, his blade thrashing around me. I blocked the majority of his attacks, but some of them cut me. The last swing I dodged and rolled away from him to escape the deadly swings.

He changed into his demon form, and his eyes began to glow as he stepped toward me, “MORE!”

I rushed toward him and ducked under his sword, stabbing mine into his stomach.

He stopped and dropped his sword, falling back. I stood over him and took my sword out of his body. He jerked and coughed up blood. I looked down at him, “Was that enough force?”

He laughed slightly, coughing afterwards, “Yes... You did great... You’ll need it for Rage.”

“Rage?”

Greed smiled, “He won’t understand why you’re killing us all and will react to it filled with anger, but he’s a good colt.”

I crossed my arms, “You mean demon?”

Greed chuckled, “You’d be surprised how similar we are... His name is Temper.”

Mr. Chyne got up on the stage and dusted himself off. His eyes widened at what Greed said, “Who?..”

I looked down at Greed, “So where are the tickets back to Equestria?”

Greed coughed, “You’ll find my butler back at the mansion. He’ll give you the tickets.”

Greed looked up at me and smiled, “It’s funny... After centuries of having everything you ever wanted... you don’t want it anymore... I think you know what’s next, Digi... You’ll go far, kid... I’ll be rooting for you.”

I lifted my sword above his body and then thrust it down, piercing the blade into his heart, making him turn to dust. Mr. Chyne stepped back, “What happened to him!?”

I looked at the confused stallion and sheathed my blade, “He was a demon.”

Mr. Chyne nodded slowly, “So that’s what it was...”

I walked toward him, “So why did you want to know what he said?”

Mr. Chyne scratched his head, “What name did he say?..”

I tilted my head, “Temper... Why?”

Mr. Chyne stepped back in fear and astonishment, “That was the name of Crimson Tear’s brother... The one I killed...”

I looked at Mr. Chyne. I remembered the note I read a long time ago. The one that spoke of him killing Crimson Tear’s brother. I had forgotten about it, and it seems as if his brother is a demon... and didn’t die at all.

I stepped toward Mr. Chyne, “Are you sure that’s him?”

Mr. Chyne looked down and thought, “I thought I killed him... I saw him burn in that incinerator.”

I scratched my head, “You put him in an incinerator?”

He shrugged, “After shooting him in the head... I had to get rid of the remains.”

I crossed my arms and began walking toward the exit of the club, “Well that would have gotten rid of the remains... If he wasn’t a demon.”

Mr. Chyne followed me, “I don’t think he’ll be happy to see me again.”

I opened the door and walked out into the rain, spotting Kage, Kynes and Kypo, “I don’t think he’s going to be happy with anything right now.”

Kypo saw me and flew toward me, “Is everything ok?!”

I nodded, “Everything is fine.”

Kypo nodded back and turned to Mr. Chyne, “Who are you?”

Mr. Chyne bowed and stood back up to look at Kypo, “My name is Mr. Chyne. I’m a friend of Digi’s.”

Kynes walked toward him, “Mr. Chyne? Misty’s father?”

Mr. Chyne smiled, “Yes. How is she?”

I looked at him, “She’s fine. Very happy.”

Mr. Chyne continued to smile, “Good.”

Kage crossed his arms and came closer, “So why were you in there?”

Mr. Chyne laughed, “Well I heard some ponies disrupted the crime in this area by killing Big Don and that there was going to be a meeting with the leader of the crime outfit here and the pony that stopped it,” he shrugged, turned to me and chuckled, “I wasn’t expecting to find you fighting a demon.”

I smirked and scratched my head, “Yeah. Well I’ve been getting in a lot of different things lately,” I looked at everypony, “speaking of which. We should go back to the mansion.”

Kage tilted his head, “Why?”

I began walking down the street, “The tickets I was promised are there.”

They all nodded and followed me to the mansion to meet with Greed’s butler. The walk was quiet except for the sound of rain. I kept in my thoughts, as I’m sure Mr. Chyne kept in his own about Temper.

I thought about Greed... Strangely... I felt an attachment to him. Not hate, but a kind of friendship.

A friendship that I didn’t... I don’t think anypony could understand. He seemed to try and teach me. To try and tell me that Rage will be a challenge, and that he was going to get me ready for it... And he did...

Now he’s dead. Just like all the demons before him, and all the demons to come. They all had to die...

But why?

Why am I even asking this?

Have I lost my mind?

They had to die because they were evil. The creatures in the dark...

Maybe what Storm said had more than one meaning...

We ignore the demons because no pony wants to believe in the monster under the bed...

Maybe we want to ignore them not just because of fear of them coming to kill us, but because of fear of us having to kill them...

Hmmmmm...

Maybe the demons weren’t so different from us after all... Maybe that’s what Storm was trying to tell me.

That didn’t change the fact that they had to die, though.

Nothing would change that...

Chapter 35: It’s never easy

After awhile, we made it to the mansion gates. Kage opened them as we all entered. The rain was still falling and it began to thunder as we walked up to the mansion doors.

I knocked on the large doors and waited until eventually an old stallion with a grey coat and white mane wearing a black tuxedo came to answer it. He looked at me, “You must be Digi.”

I nodded and the stallion looked at Mr. Chyne and the others, “And these must be your friends?”

I nodded again and he opened the door fully to let us in, “Well please come inside. It truly is dreadful out there.”

We all walked in out of the rain. The stallion closed the door, “My name is Silver Platter, but you may refer to me as Silver. Such is the name my late master called me by.”

I scratched my head, “You mean Greed?”

Silver sighed and walked down a hall, “Yes... Blackjack... he was an interesting pony.”

I followed him while everypony else followed me, “He wasn’t a pony.”

Silver continued walking, “I am aware of this, but he was a friend and insisted on me treating him as just another pony... like I said... My late master was very interesting. Never really got to fully understand him,” he sighed, “I guess I never will, now...”

I tilted my head, “He wanted you to treat him like a pony?”

Silver nodded while he opened a door, “He said he hated what he truly was. A demon. He wanted to be a pony,” Silver turned around to us, “but he knew he could never be one. His brother ignored that fact, though.”

I walked through the door and looked at Silver, “Brother?”

Silver put his hooves behind his back, “Yes. Envy. He longs to be a pony, but deep down he knows he can’t, so now he seeks out to kill all of us. If he can’t be one, no pony can.”

I crossed my hooves, “Why did Greed want to be a pony?”

Silver smiled, “He said it was the last thing he could get. That he would throw it all away if he could have the chance to be a pony, because then he would have had everything,” he pointed his hoof toward a table in the room, “but that is all in the past now. The tickets my master promised you are on that table.”

I nodded and walked over to the table and found two tickets on top of an envelope that read ‘To Digi’. I took the tickets and the envelope, putting them both in my pocket. I turned back around to everypony, “Ok. Done,” I looked at Silver, “thank you for everything.”

Silver bowed, “My pleasure, sir. The boat comes tomorrow morning, where you arrived on this island. Nine o’clock. Before you go, however, my master gave me one last request.”

I walked toward everypony, “What was the request?”

He took out a wrapped object from his pocket and handed it to me, “He wanted you to have this.”

I took it and looked back at Silver, “What is it?”

Silver smiled, “I do not know, sir. He told me only to give the object to you and tell you not to open it.”

I looked at the object, “Well... When do I open it?”

Silver put his hooves behind his back, “He told me to tell you that you’ll know when to open it when you meet a pony wearing an eye patch, covered in scars.”

I scratched my head, “When will that be?”

He sighed, “This is where it got cryptic. He said that you have already met him before, but you won’t remember. It was long ago.”

I put the object away, “Well... He was right. I don’t remember any ponies like that that stood out to me, but I’ll meet him again, apparently?”

Silver nodded, “That is what the master said,” Silver gestured us to leave, “but if you would be so kind to leave the mansion now that you have claimed your prize, I really must be getting back to sorting through the master’s belongings... He had almost everything, you know.”

I walked toward the exit, leaving Silver in the room, with everypony else following behind me. I hung my head as I walked and sighed, “Yeah. Almost everything...”

*~*~*

We all made it back to the cathedral late at night. Vanilla, Misty and Blue were all waiting for us. Vanilla ran to me and hugged me tightly, as Misty ran to her father and hugged him.

I hugged Vanilla back and she sighed, “I missed you.”

I let go and looked into her eyes, smiling, “I missed you, too.”

I took the two tickets out of my pocket and showed them to Vanilla, “These are the tickets that will take you back to Equestria.”

Vanilla looked at them and then back to me, “I... don’t know if I can leave you...”

I smiled and kissed her on her cheek, “You won’t.”

She smiled back and took the tickets, “Yeah...”

Misty ran over to me and hugged my legs, “Digi!”

I looked down at her and laughed, “Yes?”

Misty looked up at me and smiled, “Daddy said you had something for me?”

Vanilla laughed and showed the little filly the tickets I gave her, “Yes. Digi brought us both tickets to go to Equestria.”

Misty put her hooves up in the air and jumped up, “Vacation!”

Mr. Chyne chuckled, “No. You’ll be staying in Equestria with Vanilla.”

Misty turned back to Mr. Chyne, “You mean... I won’t be coming back?”

Mr. Chyne shook his head, “No... You won’t...”

Everything went silent. The laughter. The talking. The celebrating.

The only noise that broke the silence...

Was a little filly crying, hugging her father. Wishing that she didn’t have to go. That she didn’t have to leave him, again. This time... Forever.

I closed my eyes. Mr. Chyne hugged tightly onto his daughter, “Don’t worry, Misty. Vanilla will take care of you. Daddy has to stay here.”

Misty smothered her head into Mr. Chyne’s chest, “No! I want you to come with us! I don’t want to leave you...”

Mr. Chyne shed a tear, “I’ll try and find a way to get to Equestria. Just please promise me you’ll be a good filly for Vanilla.”

Misty still hung tightly onto Mr. Chyne, “I don’t want to leave...”

Mr. Chyne picked up Misty and turned to me, “I’ll talk to Misty. Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I nodded, “Before nine. I guess we should leave at seven thirty.”

Mr. Chyne carried misty to her room, “Sounds like a good time. I’ll be up then.”

Vanilla walked toward me, “So we’ll be leaving tomorrow?”

I looked at Vanilla, “Yes...”

She nodded and kissed me, “I should be getting some rest, then... Goodnight.”

She walked to our bedroom to sleep. Everypony went to their own beds except me. I stood in the cathedral for a little while.

I closed my eyes and wished that it was easier to say goodbye, but I knew it couldn’t be.

It would never be.

*~*~*

We all woke up at seven to get ready. Everypony seemed excited. Even Misty looked a little excited. I guess Mr. Chyne talked her into going and made her see the good of it.

It made me happy that she would have a new life in Equestria. Away from The Pit.

We got to the docks at around seven fifty. The boat was being boarded. I turned to Vanilla and hugged her, “I love you.”

Vanilla hugged back and then kissed me, “I love you, too.”

I smiled and turned to look at Mr. Chyne and Misty. They were both hugging each other. Saying their goodbyes. Mr. Chyne looked at Vanilla, “Make sure to keep Misty safe.”

Vanilla nodded, “I will.”

Mr. Chyne smiled and began to tear up, “Good,” he looked down at Misty, “now be a good filly for Vanilla, Misty.”

Misty nodded, walked over to Vanilla and grabbed her hoof, “Don’t worry, daddy.”

They walked toward the boat and began docking it, waving goodbye. Kynes walked toward me, “Did you say goobye to her?”

I shook my head and smiled, staring at Vanilla boarding the ship, “I didn’t have to. I’m not going anywhere.”

Kynes smiled, “Kage get to you, Digi...”

I laughed and turned to Kynes, “Shut u-”

I noticed Kynes was staring at something. Something that wasn’t the boat.

I turned to what he was looking at and saw a pegasus flying toward the vessel which was now leaving the dock. Mr. Chyne also noticed what we were looking at, “Who is tha-”

Mr. Chyne’s eyes widened, “Temper...”

I turned to him, “What?”

The pegasus looked down at the crowd as he flew by the boat, “DIGI!”

I turned to look at the dark red pegasus with the black mane. Why did it know my name?

His hoof changed into a claw as fire spouted out of it, “You did this Digi! You killed my friends!”

I stepped back. He was a demon. He was Rage.

He threw the fire at the boat, “YOU KILLED THEM!”

Everypony began to scream and panic. The guards were shooting at Rage, but none of their shots did anything.

He began to fly away, ignoring the bullets, “Now you’ll know how I feel. You'll all know.”

The boat was set ablaze. The crowd continued to panic all around me. Mr. Chyne ran toward the boat yelling for Misty, and all I could do was look and cry while I fell to my knees.

Fun doesn’t last as long as it used to, and it isn’t as fun anymore, either. Especially when you have other stuff to think about. Like saying goodbye, because saying goodbye is never easy.

I wish it was, but I know it couldn’t be.

It would never be...

Episode 10: The Greeter of War

Chapter 36 - It was supposed to be a good day

I looked all around me and saw nothing but panic. The guards were even panicking. Trying to figure out what the hell just happened. I looked toward the boat and cried even more.

Vanilla and Misty... They were gone, but not in Equestria.

I punched my hoof into the ground and yelled. I breathed deeply and my vision blurred from the tears.

I yelled again and continued punching the ground out of anger. Kynes rushed over to me and tried to help me up, but I just knocked him out of the way and pushed him on the ground.

Kage walked toward me, “Calm down, Digi! It’ll be ok.”

I couldn’t help it. In my anger, I punched Kage onto the ground and yelled, “NOTHING IS OK! IT’LL NEVER BE OK!”

Kypo flew up, “Don’t do this, Digi.”

I ignored him and began walking toward the boat filled with anger, but then I noticed Mr. Chyne on the dock. He was crying so loudly, and screaming for Misty. My anger seemed to be replaced with sadness.

I wasn’t the only one who lost somepony today...

I began to hear ponies screaming behind me and then shots being fired. I turned around and saw the scarlet pony once again. Crimson Tear was here, slicing through the ponies in between me and him.

He walked toward me, covered in blood, and smirked, “Hello, Digi. Enjoying the fire my brother started?”

I unsheathed my sword and began walking toward him, but Mr. Chyne pushed me out of the way and took out a dagger, “You killed her... YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER!”

He ran toward Crimson Tear and stabbed him in the chest, while also getting stabbed in the stomach by the demon.

Crimson Tear yelled in pain and fell down as Mr. Chyne fell onto his back.

I ran toward Mr. Chyne and knelt down beside him, grabbing onto his shoulders, “Don’t die! Please don’t!”

Mr. Chyne smiled, “I killed him, Digi. The pony who killed Misty... And now it’s time for me to go and see my wife and daughter...”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that the ‘pony’ didn’t die and that this ‘pony’ wasn’t the one who killed his daughter. All I could do was nod my head, “You did it, Mr. Chyne. You avenged Misty...”

Mr. Chyne smiled, letting out one final breath, and died.

I hung my head, “This was supposed to be a good day...”

Crimson Tear stood back up and pulled the dagger out of his chest, throwing it aside.

Mr. Chyne’s death meant nothing...

I looked up at Crimson Tear, who was walking away, and stood up quickly, “WHERE ARE YOU GOING NOW, YOU BASTARD!?”

Crimson Tear turned his head slightly and smirked, “The war has begun.”

He sprouted demon wings and flew off. All the guards were panicking at the sight . They had no idea what was going on.

I could just stand there and watch the demon fly away and think. What war is he talking about?

I sighed and looked down at Mr. Chyne. I was standing in a pool of his blood. My tears began to fall into the red puddle showing my reflection, “Today wasn’t supposed to be like this...”

As I stood there, I heard a pony yell out, “TWO PONIES ARE COMIN’ OUT OF THE BOAT!”

I looked up and turned around to see what the pony was talking about and saw two ponies hanging onto a board, swimming toward the shore. One was a mare, the other was a filly...

I ran toward them and smiled at what I found.

Vanilla and Misty were alive.

They got onto the shore and I hugged them both as they hugged me back. I teared up on Vanilla’s shoulders, “I was so worried I lost you... How did you get out?”

Vanilla hugged me tightly, “A pony named Salty Jack got us off the ship.”

I looked at Vanilla, “Salty Jack?”

She nodded, “Yeah. He said to tell you to prepare for a war... I don’t like the sound of that, Digi.”

I nodded at what Vanilla said, but I was too focused on Salty Jack. I remember him from my journey to The Pit. I only remember a few of his features, but I need to make sure. Could he be the one I’m looking for? The one I need to deliver the package to?..

I looked down, “Salty Jack...” I looked back up to Vanilla, “what did he look like?”

Vanilla tilted her head, “He wore an eyepatch and had a lot of scars-”

I stopped her before she continued, “He’s the one I’m supposed to meet!”

Vanilla turned her head slightly, “What?”

Misty looked up at me, “Where’s daddy?”

My heart sank. My smile disappeared. I forgot about Mr. Chyne. The happiness of seeing Vanilla and Misty still alive overshadowed the sadness of Mr. Chyne’s death. Misty noticed and let go, “What happened to daddy?”

I closed my eyes and she ran away. Vanilla looked at me, “What happened, Digi?”

I heard Misty cry out, “Daddy!”

I turned around and ran toward her. This shouldn’t happen. A filly shouldn’t go through this. First her mother and now her father...

Blue, Kage, and Kynes all ran toward Misty and knelt down beside her to try and comfort her. When I got there, I saw the filly sitting in her father’s blood, crying.

I sat down beside Misty and put my hoof on her back as Vanilla knelt behind me, holding onto me tightly.

Misty closed her eyes and whispered, “Good night, daddy...”

Chapter 37 - They were afraid

We all made it back to the cathedral. Vanilla took Misty back into our bedroom to try and comfort her as I told everypony about what Crimson Tear said. About the beginning war. Kynes went outside to see how everything was.

Kage sat back, “So you’re telling me that the demons aren’t going to just wait for us to come to them now?”

I nodded, “It looks that way, and what they did at the docks today...” I looked down and closed my eyes in silence for a few seconds before I turned back to Kage, “ that was just the beginning.”

Blue shook his head, “What are you gonna do, boi o? Seems like you may have picked off more than you could chew.”

I sat down and put my head in my hooves, “I don’t know anymore.”

Kypo flew toward me, “You’re going to kill Rage. That’s what you’re going to do.”

I closed my eyes and shed a tear, “I don’t think I can continue.”

Blue crossed his arms, “Oh no, boi o. You went down this path, and now you’ll bloody well finish it. Heroes don’t just quit when they’ve gotten so far and still have so much more to do. They keep goin’, my boy,” Blue put his hoof on my shoulder and I looked up at him, seeing a smile on his face, “and I’ll be here to make sure you do.”

I nodded when Kynes came back inside. Kage turned to him, “How is it looking out there?”

Kynes breathed heavily and shook his head, pointing toward the door, “The guards are all patrolling the streets. Everything seems to be in chaos. It’s like what Digi said. Whatever Crimson Tear meant, he wasn’t joking around. It’s a war zone out there.”

Kage crossed his arms, “Well what the hell are we gonna do?”

The door opened and everyone turned to see who it was. The pony turned back around after shutting the door. It was Greed’s butler. Silver.

Silver bowed slightly and put his hooves behind his back, “Good afternoon, gentlecolts. I’ve come to inform you all of the dire situation.”

Kynes crossed his arms, “Yeah. The fucking war. We know already.”

Silver shook his head, “No. You don’t. This war is bigger than you think. It is dealing with an old prophecy. One that Digi is fulfilling.”

Kypo looked down, “That prophecy...”

I looked at Kypo, “What?”

Kypo crossed his arms, “When demons come to this realm, a hero will be found. Chosen by a holy blade. A blade which will strike down his foes one by one. This hero will not be made for battle, though. This hero will be chosen. This hero will be begotten much like the blade he wields. Begotten. Not made.”

Silver smiled and nodded, “Yes. That is the prophecy and Digi is that hero. He is an entertainer. Not a warrior. He was not made for battle.”

I looked at Silver, “What was Storm than?”

Silver’s smile disappeared, “Storm was only a messenger.”

I stood up and stepped toward him, “He wasn’t just a messenger!”

Silver shook his head, “He was, and he knew it. He knew the burden he carried, and still continued... You never realize that maybe... the messenger has the hardest job of all...”

I looked down for a second and came to terms with what he was saying, “What is happening with Mr. Chyne?”

Silver nodded slightly, “He is being buried with the other ponies who died at the docks today.”

A little voice came from the back of the room, “I want to go to the funeral.”

We all turned around. Misty stood there looking at all of us, tears falling from her cheeks, “I want to see my daddy one last time.”

Silver looked at Misty and frowned, “You can’t. You must stay here on account of the demons looking for you.”

Misty walked toward Silver, “I want to go!”

Silver shook his head, “No. If the demons kill you, Digi will not be able to complete the task at hoof at full functionality. He would surely fail.”

Misty stomped toward Silver, “I’M GOING!”

Silver stepped toward her, making her fall back, “No you aren’t! Sometimes, little filly, the ones you love die! Sometimes you have to move on! Sometimes!..” Silver backed down and hung his head, “sometimes you never get to see them again.”

Misty got back up and wiped away her tears, nodded at Silver, and ran back into her bedroom.

Silver put his hooves behind his back, “I... apologize. I am not used to dealing with foals.”

I looked at Silver and shook my head, “I’m sure she’ll be fine. She’s a strong filly.”

Silver nodded, “Indeed. She’ll grow up to be a fine mare.”

I smiled slightly only for a little while before it disappeared from my face, “So what do I need to do?”

Silver cleared his throat, “You need to kill Rage. Left unchecked, he will turn The Pit into an island of ash and hellfire.”

I crossed my arms, “Where do I even find him?”

Blue put his hoof on my shoulder, “That’s the spirit, my boy.”

Silver walked toward me, “You will find him in the center of the city, no doubt. Destroying everything around him.”

I stood up, “Ok. So when do I go?”

Silver smiled and opened the door, “We must hurry before things get out of hoof, as I’ve said before.”

I nodded and walked outside. I heard the door shut behind me. Kypo followed, “So you’re ready for this?”

I nodded and turned back around, “Yeah.”

I continued toward the street leaving the cathedral and made my way into the city.

Guards ran past me and Kypo through the streets. I looked down at him, “Why didn’t the others come?”

Kypo continued to make his way through the crowded city, “Silver said only one could come with you. We all decided that I knew the most about what was going on, so I was chosen to go.”

I walked through the streets toward the center of the city, “Ok. That sounds smart... Thanks for coming.”

Kypo stayed focused on avoiding getting stepped on by the worried guards, “Don’t mention it.”

I chuckled and nodded slightly, continuing behind him.

We made it to the center of the city after a few minutes of walking and dodging the guards. Rage was nowhere to be seen. I looked around me and noticed ponies running out of their homes and into the streets. They were panicked because of what was going on. They wanted to get out of here. I couldn’t blame them.

I unsheathed my sword, remembering what happened back at the theater so long ago. When Crimson Tear killed all those ponies.

I yelled at the crowd, “Get out of here! It’s not safe!”

One of the ponies looked at me and my sword, “He’s the one. He’s the one they’re after!”

I looked at him, “Get out of here! You’ll die if you stay!”

Other ponies stopped and looked at me, “He’s right. He’s the one those psychopaths are after! He put our families in danger!”

I shook my head, “No! I’m not the one you should be mad at! I’m trying to help you all!”

Kypo stepped in, “We’re both trying to help you!”

The crowd stopped, “They’re working together! The psychopaths want them both!”

One of the ponies shouted, “Maybe if we kill them the psychopaths will leave us alone!”

I stepped away from the crowd, “No! No...”

The crowd stepped closer to me and Kypo. They all looked furious. They looked scared. They really thought this was the only way.

I wasn’t going to attack them. Kypo realized this and flew up, “We aren’t your enemies!”

The ponies came closer. The one who seemed to be leading the crowd was scared. I could tell he didn’t want to do this, but he felt he needed to. He needed to kill me for his family, and if he did it might stop the deaths. It might stop his pain.

It might stop all their pain.

He knew it was wrong, though. A tear fell from his cheek. He stopped walking and just looked at me as I looked back. I sheathed my sword and smiled, nodding, “It’s going to be ok. I’m here to help you.”

He smiled back, teary eyed, “Ok...”

He put his hoof out to stop the crowd, “It’s ok everypony... We don’t need to resort to this. Everything is going to be fine.”

I nodded and the crowd calmed down.

I looked into the sky and saw him looming over the crowd. He had two swords unsheathed. I looked back down at the crowd right as the leader looked back down to me, shedding another tear. This time not one of fear, but one of acceptance. He knew what was about to come.

He just looked at me and spoke softly in the middle of the chaos, “Goodbye.”

I tried to rush toward him, but a bright light flashed in front of me. I had to shield my eyes. The light burned with an intense heat but lasted for only a few seconds.

When it was over, I turned back to where the leader and the crowd once were, but they were gone. The only thing that remained was ash and burnt ground.

I closed my eyes, reopening them to see Rage descend and land on the blackened ground. I whispered to myself, “Goodbye.”

Chapter 38 - Rage

I unsheathed my sword as Rage came closer.

The demon slit his eyes at me while still walking forward, “You did this, Digi. You killed my brothers and sister!”

He slashed one of his swords toward me, but I dodged out of the way, stepping to the side, making his attack only throw dust into the air. He got his other sword and sliced toward the middle of my body, the first sword still slashed into the ground. I ducked below his blade and cut his arm, making him drop the sword that was over my head.

He screamed out in pain and anger, “You can’t hope to stop us all! The city is under attack as we speak!”

He lifted his sword up and thrust it down onto me. I blocked his attack, being pushed down slightly from the force. I wasn’t going to be able to hold back his blade for much longer, but Kypo kicked him off of me and I stood back up and slashed toward him as he layed on the ground.

He lifted his sword above himself toward me, vertically, blocking my attack. I forced my blade down, however, as he did earlier. I could fear anger pulsing through my body. I pushed down on his sword, making him give in to the pressure. I yelled at him, “Just give up and DIE!”

He smirked at me, “We’re not so different, Digi. I can feel the rage in your heart.”

I paused and my eyes widened, but I shook the thought from my mind before I let go of the pressure I put on him from my attack and he could get back up. I lifted my sword and sliced my blade into his head quickly, killing the demon.

I fell to my knees and dropped my sword into the ashes of the fallen demon. He was right. I acted just like him. This place changed me so much. These demons changed me. I didn’t recognize myself anymore. What have I become?

I heard a scream that brought me back up. I looked up to the sky, where the scream had come from and saw Crimson Tear, Rage’s brother.

He looked at me and pointed his blade toward me, “You’ll pay for what you’ve done, Digi! This whole city will burn because of this. I’ll make sure of it.”

I looked down to pick up my sword, but when I looked back up, he was gone.

Kypo turned to me, “You ok?”

I sheathed my sword and hung my head, “Yeah... Just thinking about what Rage said.”

Kypo crossed his arms, “Look. Don’t let him get you down. You aren’t like him. You aren’t like any of them.”

I walked away, back to the cathedral. I was done for today. I just wanted this day to end. I just wanted everything to end...

I closed my eyes, “When will I be able to rest, Kypo? When can I be happy again?”

Kypo sighed, “I was going to ask you the same question.”

I smiled, “At least I have you guys with me.”

He nodded as we walked down the street toward the Cathedral, “Might be the only thing good about all this.”

I looked forward, continuing to walk, “It is.”

*~*~*

We got back to the cathedral at night. I could see some parts of the town smoking. The war had really began.

I opened the door and Kypo flew in as I walked in right behind him.

Everypony stood in the room. They were all waiting for me to come back.

Silver looked at me, “Oh. Welcome back, Digi. I trust you succeeded in your mission?”

I hung my head, “Yeah. I killed Rage.”

Silver nodded, “Excellent. May I ask why you seem upset?”

I walked away from everypony, “I just need to be alone right now.”

They all were quiet as I left to my bedroom. I sat down on the bed and looked at my reflection in my sword. I had scars now. I was dirty from fighting. I couldn’t explain it, but even my eyes looked different. This change wasn’t just the outside. It changed everything. I really wasn’t the same pony who came to this island. Rage was right. We weren’t that different. He wanted to kill all of us, and I wanted to kill them...

I laid back and felt something in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw it wa a letter. The letter Greed left for me.

I opened the envelope and read what was inside.

“I trust you opened this at the right time. The time you were the most afraid. Afraid of becoming different. Afraid of changing... Don’t be. Change means neither good nor bad. It doesn’t hold you to one side or the other. So what will it be? Good or bad?.. I trust you’ll make the right choice... Goodbye, Digi.”

I closed the letter and put it back in my pocket. I hung my head and smiled. I shouldn’t worry. I’m not one of them. I have to kill them to save me and my loved ones. To save all of us. I’m doing it for good. I looked up, “Thanks, Blackjack.”

Vanilla walked into the room and closed the door behind her, “Digi?”

I smiled, ran toward her and hugged her, “You’re beautiful, and I’m not a monster.”

She tilted her head, “Of course you’re not a mons-”

I kissed her, stopping her from what she was saying. She was surprised at first, but kissed me back and closed her eyes. I sat down on the bed, continuing to kiss her and she sat in my lap.

I stopped and looked into her eyes, “I love you so much.”

She smiled, “I love you, too.”

She continued to kiss me.

She seemed to want more, but I didn’t know if a pregnant mare could do that. Could she?

It was too late to even think about it for long, though. It seemed like she didn’t care. She just wanted it to happen, and honestly after today, I didn’t mind at all.

I loved this feeling. Me and her. I wanted to marry her, but I knew that wasn’t possible. Not with how everything was. As she got undressed, I looked into her eyes, “Will you marry me?”

She smiled, and was kind of shocked, “How would we be able to get married, Digi? There’s no way right now.”

I nodded, “I know. I’m just asking if you would if we could.”

She smiled again, “Yes. I would love to be married to you.”

I smiled and kissed her.

That letter changed my outlook on everything.

The letter written by a demon... A demon named Blackjack.

Chapter 39 - A silver lining

Vanilla fell asleep soon after we were done. She was so tired and cute, but I wasn’t tired at all. I had a lot on my mind. I needed to talk to Silver.

I got out of bed and avoided waking Vanilla up. I pulled the covers over her when i got up and left the bedroom. Everypony seemed to have gone to bed.

I walked into the main part of the cathedral and saw Silver sitting in one of the pews. I walked toward him and sat next to him.

He turned to me, “Oh. I did not notice you coming. My apologies. How are you feeling?”

I smiled, “I’m doing a lot better.”

He turned back to face the stained glass window and nodded, “Good... do you want me to tell you who your next target is?”

I shrugged, “I guess... Is it Crimson Tear?”

He shook his head, “There’s one more before him. the next one is Heresy. Silver Tongue... I hate how we share the name Silver...”

I crossed my arms and chuckled, “So he’s the last one before Crimson Tear?”

Silver nodded, “Yes. Greed might have been the door to open the full fury of the demons, and Rage the greeter, but Heresy is the guide, tricking you at every turn. Making you question your own beliefs. Making your world change before your eyes.”

I smirked, “I can deal with change.”

He shook his head, “I hope you can prepare for this change...” he looked at the stained glass window, “... the artwork is exquisite.”

I smiled and looked at the window, too, “It’s beautiful. Makes me want to return to Equestria.”

He chuckled slightly, “That place is wonderful, isn’t it?.. I would love to return there.”

I turned to him, “You used to live in Equestria?”

He nodded, “Oh yes. I was very young. An orphan. A pony saw me and asked me to come with him. Having nopony else, I did. He took me here and he took care of me. As I got older I returned the favor by being an excellent butler and serving him as he served me.”

I laughed slightly, “So Blackjack took you here?”

He looked at me in disbelief, “Yes... I am surprised you call him by his pony name. What happened to make you change so drastically?”

I smiled, “... I got a letter.”

Episode 11: Do You Remember?

Chapter 40 - A helping hoof

I woke up in the cathedral. I was laying on one of the pews. I didn’t even remember falling asleep. I looked around for Silver, remembering that we were talking to eachother, but I couldn’t find him.

I walked around the cathedral a little and noticed everything was quiet. It seemed as if everything had stopped.

I looked up to the support beams to see if Kypo was sleeping up there still, but he wasn’t.

After I searched the cathedral for a few minutes, I ran to the bedrooms to check on everypony, but the door was locked.

What was going on?

I wiggled the door knob for a little while longer, but it wouldn’t budge. I turned back around and saw the door open to the cathedral.

I walked outside of the door into a field. It was night time, but how?

It should have been day, and this cathedral wasn’t in a field at all before.

I looked around in the grassy field for a little while, feeling the breeze in my mane. It felt nice. It reminded me of a place I knew of long ago.

But what was it called? I can’t remember the name. It’s on the tip of my tongue...

Before I could think to myself any longer, I heard a pony call out to me, “Hey! You shouldn’t be wandering out here at night!”

I turned back around to see a stallion standing in the doorway of a lit building. He was a unicorn with a dark blue coat and black mane with silver streaks. His eyes were a glowing green.

I looked at him for a little while and wondered why I was out here in the first place. I glanced behind him and saw that he came out of a cottage...

Strange. I thought for sure a cathedral was there.

The pony spoke again, “Why don’t you come inside. You look tired.”

I paused for a second and nodded, and walked into the kind pony’s cottage. I was pretty tired. I don’t remember going to sleep in a while, anyways.

The pony closed the door and turned toward me, “So why were you out there?”

I walked over to a fireplace he had lit and sat down in one of the seats, “I was looking for some friends.”

He walked over and sat down with me, “I see. What are their names?”

I sat in the chair, staring at the fire for what seemed like hours until I turned to look at the pony, “I... Don’t remember.”

He nodded, “Well I’m sure you’ll find them and while we’re on the subject of names, I should introduce myself.”

I nodded and put my hoof out, “My name is Digi Glow, by the way.”

He shook my hoof and smirked, “And I am Silver Tongue.”

I paused for a second, looking into the ponies eyes, but I shook loose of my fixation, “That name sounds familiar.”

He let go of my hoof and shrugged, smiling, “It’s an easy name to get confused with others.”

I chuckled and looked back at the fire, “Yeah. I guess so.”

Silver got up and stretched, “Well listen, Digi. It’s late and I think it’s time to go to bed. You can sleep out here, if that’s ok?”

I nodded, “It’s fine. I’m just glad you let me in.”

He shook his head, “Not a problem. If I see a pony in need I help them in any way I can.”

I smiled and relaxed in the seat, “Goodnight, Silver.”

He nodded and walked into his bedroom, “Goodnight.”

The door closed as I watched the fire burning.

I just layed there for a few hours thinking about how nice Silver was for letting me in and the names of my friends.

Why couldn’t I remember them?

It’s almost like they were erased from my memory.

Maybe I just needed to sleep?..

I closed my eyes and drifted off. Maybe I’d remember in the morning.

Chapter 41 - Don’t trust him

I woke up to a feeling of a hoof slipping a note in my pocket. I quickly sat up in the seat and felt where the sensation happened, and I heard something crumple.

I tilted my head and looked around the room. No pony was there, so who could have put this here? Or was it there the entire time?

I took the note out slowly and opened it, the inside only saying, “How did you get there?”

I sat there for a second, looking at the note, but stood up and put it back in my pocket. What it said was strangely interesting to me...

How did I get here?

Before I could think anymore, I hear Silver waking up in his bedroom. I decided to sit back down and wait for him. I needed to thank him before I went back home...

Where did I live?

Silver came out and saw me sitting down, “Good Morning, Digi. I trust you slept well?”

I nodded, “Yes. Thank you again for letting me sleep here.”

He smiled, “Not a problem,” he sat down next to me, “so where were you headed off to?”

I shrugged, “I guess I’ll be going back home. I don’t even remember why I’m out here. Do you know why?”

He shook his head, “No, I don’t. I only just met you last night walking around the forest.”

I nodded and then paused.

Wait...

I looked at Silver, “I thought I was walking in a field last night?”

He shook his head and stood up, pulling back the curtains of a window to reveal a forest outside of his cottage, “No. I’m afraid this cottage is in a forest and not a field... Did you need to rest some more?”

I looked down and shook my head, “No. I think I’ll be fine. It’s just some weird things have been happening lately.”

He walked into the kitchen, “Well let me make you some tea. Maybe that will clear your head.”

I nodded and looked at the fire, remembering the question.

How did I get here?

What is the last thing I remember?

I was out in the woods... looking for something...

What was I looking for?

I leaned forward in the chair and looked down, seeing another note at my feet. It said, “Open”

I looked behind me to the kitchen to check if Silver wasn’t looking.

He was busy making tea still, so. I looked back at the note and picked it up, opening it. On the inside, it said, “Don’t trust him.”

As I read it, Silver walked out of the kitchen, “Did you say something?”

I looked back at him and threw the note into the fireplace, “No! I didn’t say anything... how is the tea coming along?”

Silver tilted his head and walked back into the kitchen, “It’s almost done. Just a little while longer.”

I nodded and sat back into the chair.

Don’t trust him? Does it mean don’t trust Silver?

I looked at the fire and saw the note burning. Underneath it was a log... No... It was small building.

I looked closer at it and began to hear screams. It reminded me of something. Something that happened in my past.

How did I get here?

What was I looking for?

Silver walked into the room with a tea kettle, “It’s done!”

I turned to him and saw what he was holding. Was I hearing screams or the steam from the kettle?

I smiled at him, “Good. I’ll take a cup, please.”

He nodded, “Of course.”

He poured the tea into a cup and handed it to me, “Here you go.”

I took it from him, “Thank you.”

I was about to take a sip, but stopped and looked at Silver. He wasn’t pouring himself a cup?

I set the cup down, “Aren’t you going to get some?”

He shook his head and sat down, “No. I’m not very thirsty right now.”

I didn’t pick the tea back up. All I could think about was what that note said.

Don’t trust him.

Was I going insane?

Silver looked at me and glanced at my tea, “Are you going to drink it?”

My heart stopped. I didn’t know what to do. I smiled and picked up the tea, putting it against my lips.

As I tipped the cup toward me, I stopped before I swallowed the liquid.

I put the tea back down and turned to Silver, his eyes slit. He leaned toward me, “What’s wrong, Digi? Don’t you trust me?”

I smiled nervously and stood up, “I’m just not thirsty right now.”

He chuckled, “Right... I’ll just take your cup, then.”

Silver took the cup and walked back into the kitchen. I sat back down and rubbed my eyes. Was I really going insane?

I stood back up and turned toward the kitchen, “I’m sorry. I’m just having this weird feeling righ-”

When I turned all the way around to face the entrance of the kitchen, all I saw was Silver holding a knife, “I was hoping you’d stay seated.”

Chapter 42 - Light and dark

I stepped back, “What’s going on?”

He came closer, “I was just going to surprise you with some cake!”

He turned around and picked up a cake, slicing his knife into it.

I sat back down in relief. Nothing was going on. I just needed to relax. Everything was fine.

He walked over to me and sat down a piece of cake, “There you go.”

I smiled and nodded, picking up the cake. I began to eat it, but stopped when It’s smell entered my nose.

It reminded me of something. A memory.

A memory of a mare...

But what was her name?

Silver cleared his throat and I turned to him, forgetting the memory, “Yes?”

He smiled, “The cake is vanilla.”

My eyes widened and I spoke softly, “Vanilla.”

He stood up quickly and a sword appeared in his hoof, pointing at me, “Slip of the tongue... Usually never happens.”

The room disappeared around us. Everything turned black. All I could see was Silver.

I stepped away, “What’s going on? Where is Vanilla?”

Silver smiled, “Interesting. You only remember her.”

He slashed his blade toward me, but I dodged out of the way and began to run from him.

As I ran into the darkness, all I could hear was laughter all around me. I stopped and turned around to look back at Silver, but he wasn’t there. The laughter died down, “You can’t run away here, Digi.”

I turned back around and saw Silver. He sliced his sword into my waist and knocked me down. Blood began leaking out of my wound as I gripped it.

Silver stood over my body, “I control this place.”

He lifted his sword above his head and thrust it down toward me as I closed my eyes.

I laid there for a few seconds, but I never felt the blade pierce through my body.

I opened my eyes, but Silver was no longer there.

I stood up, holding onto my side and turned to my right, where a sword was stabbed into the ground.

It glowed in the darkness. I was drawn to it like a moth. Wrapping my hooves around the hilt, I pulled the blade out.

All of a sudden, memories returned to me. Memories of a land called Equestria. Memories of a boat. A place called The Pit. A love and a promise to a father. A filly I had to watch over. A stallion who watched over me. The beginning of an adventure. The ones who died...

Was this me? Was this my life?

Did I...

Forget?..

Silver Tongue appeared in front of me, “So you remember?”

I looked down at the sword, “Did I want to remember?”

He smirked and laughed, transforming into his demonic form, “Memory is a dark thing,” he held out his hand to me, a grin on his face, “come with me and you don’t have to remember anything. You’ll be lost forever. No more pain... No more suffering.”

I closed my eyes, “Your name is Heresy. You lead people away from the right path. You lead them to destruction,” I looked up at him and quickly thrust my blade into his chest, “what made you think I’d follow you?”

He dropped his sword and fell to his knees, “You gave up serenity for painful memories, Digi. You’ll regret that choice.”

I thrust my blade deeper into him, “Happiness can’t exist without sadness. Just as light can’t exist without dark.”

He chuckled and shook his head, “You’re going to die if you continue, Digi. Only sadness is waiting for you.”

I cut through his body and the demon turned to dust, “I’ll take my chances.”

I turned around and began walking away, but got dizzy. I felt like I was falling, and pretty soon, I fell asleep.

Chapter 43 - A cake

It felt like years that I was stuck in this limbo. It felt like there was no escape, until I began to see a light.

My eyes opened, Vanilla looking down at me, smiling, “You woke up.”

Everypony ran toward me, “He’s awake?!”

I sat up in the pew and looked around. All my memories with them began to return. A tear rolled down my cheek and I stood up.

They all looked at me, waiting for me to say something, but I couldn’t. All I could do was look at them.

I held my hooves out and smiled, slightly teary eyed, “I missed you.”

They all hugged me and Vanilla kissed me on the cheek, “We missed you, too.”

I was so happy to be back. Even if there were painful memories here, the good ones over powered them. Everything was fine.

We all stopped hugging after a few second and Silver walked toward me, “I trust Heresy was taken care of?”

I tilted my head, “How did you know?”

He smiled and pulled out a pen and some paper from behind his back, “Who do you think made the notes?”

I smiled, “Thanks... And yes... Heresy has died. Though I have to say he wasn’t easy.”

Silver nodded, “He attacks your mind. Not your body. It’s a good thing you killed him. Now only three demons stand in your way before you can battle the four kings.”

I nodded, “The next one Crimson Tear.”

Silver put his hooves behind his back, “Yes. Violence.”

Kynes yawned, “Can we take a break from all this for a little while?”

Silver turned to him, “You did nothing and the city is currently on fire.”

Kynes began walking to his bedroom, “I know, I know, but we need to rest up. Digi just had a pretty rough time. I bet he needs the rest.”

I yawned, too. It was weird. Even though I just woke up, I felt as if I hadn’t slept in days. I looked at Silver and scratched the back of my neck, “I could rest a bit.”

Kynes opened the door, “See. Done talking now. Let’s rest. Goodnight!”

He shut the door before anypony could say anything. Silver sighed and shook his head, “Fine. We’ll rest for a day, but that’s all. Those demons won’t stop until we’re all dead.”

I nodded and got back up, “I’ll make sure they won’t even have a taste of victory.”

Silver nodded back at me, “Good. Go and rest for tomorrow. The demon Violence will show no mercy to you. He’ll show no mercy to any of us...”

I walked away to my bedroom with Vanilla while everypony else walked to their own beds as well.

I laid down next to Vanilla, holding onto her.

I was glad I didn’t forget. Vanilla turned to look at me, “Are you ok, sweetie?”

I smiled, “Yeah... I’m just glad I remembered everything.”

She smiled back, “How did you remember?”

I chuckled and looked into her eyes, “It’s actually really funny.”

She giggled, “What was it?”

I kissed her, “All I have to say is... thank you for the cake.”

“You’re welcome...” she laughed, “I’m glad you liked it... So that’s how you remembered us?”

I nodded, “Yeah. That's all I needed, I guess.”

She sighed and closed her eyes, “I’m glad I began baking, then.”

I smirked and shut my eyes, too.

Tomorrow I had to fight a demon that had been haunting me throughout this city. He made sure I suffered, but tomorrow I’ll stop it all. I’ll make him suffer for once...

But for now... I slept.

Episode 1: A One Way Trip

Chapter 1 - New Friends in low places

The noise of the ship leaving. The waves crashing against the coast. I saw the land of Equestria slowly fade into the distance. I looked upon that beautiful land. The lush fields and the sparkling waters. Soon, they will be nothing but a memory. I had to leave.

My name is Digi-glow, a unicorn who spent his time creating different forms of
entertainment for all the ponies. Writing gripping stories, creating fun games, acting... but not anymore. Not in Equestria, anyways. The reason for my departure of that beautiful place is some not-so-beautiful ponies. Ponies who seem to take time out of their own day to make me feel as if my life was meaningless.

Maybe it is?

No. You mustn't think like that Digi. Soon you'll be in a new place. A fresh start. This boat will take you there. To your new beginning. Equestria is now just a distant memory. A far off shadow. But what if this new place is the same? What if it's worse?

Those kind of ponies are everywhere... I know this for a fact. This new place could be worse. Why the hell am I leaving Equestria! This doesn't make sense!

I push off the side of the boat where I was looking out at the fading equestria. A creak of the wood followed. I walked to the captain's quarters to ask if I could go back. Maybe this was a huge mistake. My hoof knocked on the captain's door...

Thud

The door creaked open and I heard a voice inside.

"Come in."

I hesitated and pushed the door fully open. I try to speak, but my throat seems to be in a knot. This pony doesn't seem like the ponies in equestria. Sitting behind a desk in a captain's jacket, you could make out his most prominent features being a grizzled brown mane and tail. The eye patch and scars on his body did not make him look any nicer.

"You've never seen a pony like me over in that place, have ye?" he chuckles.

I clear my throat and finally speak, "S-sorry, sir. You're just different."

He laughs and slams his hoof down and proceeds to drink what looked like cider. He gulps down the entire beverage and places it on the desk in front of him, "So why did you decide to leave, young-un?".

I open my mouth to speak, but I was interrupted by his raspy voice.

"Oh, where are my manners? The name is Salty Jack. What's yours?"

"My name is Digi-glow, s-sir." I said as I stared into the only eye he had. Green... or blue? Possibly a teal.

"You don't have to call me sir. Makes me feel old." he laughed again. Rancorous as ever.

I gathered myself and said what I intended to say in the beginning, "I wish to return to Equestria."

The smile disappeared from Salty Jack's face, "There's no return trip. I'm sorry. You'll have to stay like every other pony on this damned ship."

His language surprised me. I've thought of these words while I lived in Equestria, but never uttered them, "But why?"

"Because this is a one way trip, so you'll just have to like the place you'll be going. Now... get out.", Salty Jack looked down at a map on his desk.

"But-"

"I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT!", Salty Jack pointed his hoof to the door and slammed his other hoof on the desk.

I jumped at this, and hurried out the door. Were all the ponies going to be talking like this? This was a mistake...

I hung my head in sadness and tears began to fall, but then a calm voice asked me, "Are you ok?"

I looked up and saw a smiling ponies face. He was a pegasus. Around the same age as me, it seemed. He had a long, feathered black and blue mane and tail. His eyes were a dark magenta. His coat, a grey red. His voice was soothing, "Why are you crying?"

I looked at the captain's door as did he. The pony laughed, "Salty Jack, huh? Don't worry. He's pretty rough sometimes, but he can be a nice guy. Come on, they're serving food in the mess right now. You look like you could eat."

The pony smiled and patted me on the back. His smile was enough to make me follow him. Maybe this place won't be as bad as I thought. Like I said, those kind of ponies are everywhere.

The pony opened the door to the mess and let me in, following close behind once I entered. Inside was a varying crowd of ponies. Some small and thin, others strong, and some that had a sophisticated look about them. They all seemed like they were laughing and talking amongst themselves.

The pony pushed me slightly with his hoof to get my attention and pointed to a table, "Over here."

He led me to the table where another pony was sitting. This pony looked rather gruff and burly. I tried not to stare at him, but couldn't help it.

"You ok, boi o?" the gruff stallion asked while smirking.

"Y-yeah. Just kinda new to this type of crowd."

He laughed loudly, filling the entire room with his roar.

"Hey," he yelled, getting the attention of everypony in the room, "this pony is new to this type of crowd! Let's welcome him!"

The room filled with the sound of everypony welcoming me. Gruff and soft voices alike.

The pony who led me here chuckled and tapped me, "The name is Kage. Yours?"

I looked at him with a slight smile on my face, "I'm Digi-glow, but you can call me Digi."

"Ok, Digi. You're in for quite a night it seems. These guys seem to like you."

The gruff pony butted in the conversation, "Oh yes! You seem like you'll be quite the addition."

A mare walked by the table and placed a plate of hay and daisies in front of me, "Eat up, honey. Don't want to starve, now do we?"

The mare walked past another table back to the kitchen and a stallion spanked her as she passed him. Was this normal behaviour here? She turned around while blushing and led him out of the room.

The gruff pony and some others in the mess started to chuckle. The stallion leaned across the table and whispered to me, "Looks like some stallion got lucky. That waitress is a whore."

I was confused. Why was he lucky? And what was a "whore"? It seemed like the stallion could tell I did not know what he was talking about.

"You really are new to this crowd, aren't you?", his smile seemed to fade into a kind and caring expression.

Kage was eating some of the food at the table while the other pony spoke to me, "You see, a whore is a mare who... well... how do I put this..." the pony looked around while thinking.

"Ah! Yes. A whore is a mare who has a lot of loving to go around."

"Well I like love. So that's a good thing, right?"

The pony laughed, "Not quite the type of love you're thinking about. More like an intimate kinda love."

I quickly realized what he was saying, "You mean... s-sex?"

The stallion laughed furiously and slammed his hoof on the table, "Yes! Exactly! I thought that would take forever to explain. Oh, I like you Digi. You are quite the uproar, but it seems my name completely slipped my mind. They call me Deep Blue, Blue for short."

That makes sense, on account of his coat being navy blue. His mane was grey and spiked back. A unicorn, no less, like me.

Kage looked at me, "So how are you liking the place so far?"

I smirked, "I think I'll like it here. Everypony seems pleasant enough."

That's what I said, but what I thought was different. I wanted to go back to Equestria. This place didn't seem like the place for me, but they were happy, and I won't be able to go back it seems, so I'll just have to get used to it here.

"I'll have to let you meet Kynes later. He's one of my friends. I think you'll like him." Kage seemed happy and continued eating.

I decided that I spent enough time talking, and it seemed Blue thought so too on account of him eating like he hadn't eaten in ages. I looked around the mess and saw everypony was still laughing and talking to each other just as I entered. I turned back to my food, smiling, and began to eat.

After this, I suppose I’ll meet Kynes. I wonder what he’s like...

Chapter 2 - We’ll make the best of it

I was in the sleeping quarters of the ship. It’s been a couple of hours since I ate. I was stuffed. The food was delicious, didn’t think it would be. Food on a ship never seems like it should be delicious. Kage told me that he was bringing Kynes in a little while. I had time to look around my room.

There was a red carpet embroidered with a beautiful design on the dark wooden floor. The planks on the wall were slightly lighter. The bed seemed like it could fit two full grown ponies. The sheets were also red... maybe more of a maroon colour.

The door had a lock on it. That’s good. The ponies seem nice here, but you never know. I laid on the bed and looked at the dark wooden ceiling and thought.

I wonder when we’ll get to our destination? All they said about it was that it was going to be a place where you could have a fresh start. Fresh starts are good. Change is good... right? Maybe I don’t want to think about it. What if there are murderers there? I’ve never seen one, but I’ve heard of them back in Equestria. Evil ponies who kill. I never really thought about them until now. Change isn’t always good, I guess.

The door creaked open and I heard Kage’s voice, “Here he is, Kynes! This is Digi.”

I looked at the door and saw a unicorn with a light tan coat and a light blue, almost glowing mane with a blue hat covering most of it. He had purple eyes and he spoke with a light voice, “Hey there.”

I got out of the comfortable bed and came over to him to shake his hoof, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Kynes shook my hoof back, “Likewise. Kage told me you just came on the ship today?”

“Yes. Do you know where we’re going, perhaps?”

Kynes sighed, “No, sadly. I was hoping you would. All I know is that we’re going to “a place where you can have a fresh start”, which doesn’t explain that much.”

Kynes came into the room with Kage, who sat on the bed and began to speak, “Well, we should stick together when we get there. New place. New friends. Sound good?”

I smiled, “That sounds great.”

Kynes looked at us both and chuckled, “Sounds pretty cool. But where the hell are we going?”

I looked at Kynes, “You talk like that, too?”

“Yeah. Don’t you? Everyone seems to on this ship.” Kynes laughed.

“No... Well... I’ve thought about the words before, but never spoke them.”

Kynes smiled, “It’s ok. They’re just to enforce a point. How are you feeling right now?”

I looked at Kage and Kynes. They were both smirking and I knew what they were waiting for me to say.

“I feel like shit.”

Kynes and Kage both laughed.

“There you go. See. Nothing wrong with saying it.” Kynes sat on the bed next to Kage.

“Yeah. I guess. I don’t think I’ll say words like that often though.”

Kage looked at me, “That’s fine. It’s mainly just for extra feeling in a situation.”

“Anyways. Enough with this. So what are we gonna do when we get to our destination wherever that may be?” Kynes looked at both me and Kage.

“First, we stick together,” Kage got up, “and then we’ll see from there.”

Kynes got up after, “Whatever this new place is like, we’ll make the best out of it, right?”

I smiled along with Kage, “Right.”

We continued to talk for about half the night. Our conversation was filled with laughter. It reminded me of the times I had with my old friend back in Equestria... He’s gone now, and so is that place.

They left after we stopped talking. The ship was quiet once they were gone. I heard nothing but the thoughts in my head. So many thoughts, but one kept coming up as I laid on my bed.

“Whatever this new place is like, we’ll make the best of it, right?”

I felt a tear slowly fall down my cheek. We will make the best of it.

“We will.”

Several hours passed while I was asleep, but I was awoken by somepony moving out in the hall. I got up, but the sheets stuck to one of my hooves and I fell out of my bed onto the hardwood floor.

“OW!” I yelled while I placed my hoof on my head.

The pony seemed to stop outside my door due to my verbal pain. My heart stopped. Who was it? The doorknob wobbled. Did I lock it? Please tell me I locked it.

The door slowly creaked open.

I got up slowly, “Fuck.”

The door opened slightly wider.

“Fuck fuck fuck!” I ran behind my bed so it was between me and the door.

I heard the door open a little more and a mare’s voice whispered into the room, “Hello?”

I looked slightly over my bed at the door and saw the mare from back in the mess. The one who was spanked by the stallion.

She walked slowly into the room, “Anypony in here?”

I lifted myself slightly over the bed, “Yes. I’m here.”

“Ah. It’s you. The new pony,” she tapped her chin with her hoof, “Digi! Yeah. That’s right.”

I was able to look at her more closely now that I was above the bed. I blushed. She was wearing barely anything and it seemed as if juices were running down her thighs. Did she just get done with having sex with that stallion? I’ve never seen a mare like this.

She noticed that I was looking at her body and not her face, “Oh. I apologize. I should be more modest. Can I get situated in your room, darling?”

“S-sure.” I blushed and said softly looking away.

She laughed, “You never seen a mare like this, honey?”

I heard her zipping up something and continued to stare at the wall away from her, “No, ma’am.”

She continued to get situated, “Please. Call me Vanilla Essence.”

I remember what she looked like. A cream coloured coat and light brown, feathered mane with brown eyes. She was elegant. Beautiful even.

“Are you ok, sweetie?” Vanilla asked.

I stopped thinking about her to speak, “Y-yeah. So what did you do with that stallion?”

She sighed, “The usual for the same price of fifty bits. A mare’s gotta do what a mare’s gotta do.”

“You make them pay?”

I heard her sit on my bed, “Of course. I’m a prostitute, honey. It’s how I get my bits. Never thought my cutie mark would be a cream pie.”

I turned around and looked at her sitting on my bed moving her hoof on the sheets that she placed back on it. She had a such a smooth figure.

She looked at me and smiled, “Are you enjoying the view?”

I blushed and looked up, “S-sorry!”

She crawled across the bed closer to me, “It’s fine. You’re cute.”

Vanilla giggled and stroked her hoof over my crotch but I pushed her hoof away, “No. I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong?”

I sat on the bed beside Vanilla, “I don’t want to do this.”

I handed her the last of the bits I had in my bag and she looked at them, “Well I need to repay you with my product, darling.”

“No. Consider it a donation. I don’t like knowing that you’re selling your body to any stallion who has enough bits.”

Vanilla looked at me, “But I need to repay you somehow. It’s my one special talent.”

I looked at her, “Here. You seem like you could use a place to stay for the night, so you can sleep in my bed with me. Consider that what I payed for.”

Vanilla smiled at me and laid down, “You’re sweet, Digi. I like that in a stallion.”

I laid down beside her and felt her cuddle up next to me. Her heat on my back.

I smiled, “Goodnight, Vanilla.”

“Goodnight, Digi.”

I stayed up for a little while longer. I can’t believe a mare was in the same bed as me and cuddling me, no less. I’ve never had this feeling before. She’s beautiful.

I stared at the wall for a few minutes and began to hear her fall asleep while holding onto me. Softly breathing. It melted my heart. I had to sleep now. I’ve been up long enough.

I closed my eyes and drifted off. What will tomorrow bring? We’ll find out together.

Chapter 3 - Good Morning

I woke up to the sound of Vanilla changing clothes. I saw her bend over, pulling up her skirt. I blushed, but this time did not look away.

“Good Morning.”

Vanilla looked at me and smiled, “Ah. I didn’t mean to wake you. I need to go back to my... manager.”

“Manager?”

Vanilla got all her clothes situated and moved her breasts to fit snugly in her blouse, “A pimp, honey. He’s a bastard that I hate,” Vanilla sighed and looked to the ground “but I need protection from anypony who thinks they can get a free ride.”

I got out from under the covers and sat on the bed, “Why don’t you find another pony to protect you?”

Vanilla looked at me again and smiled, “I wish it were that easy, but he wouldn’t allow me to just go with another pony. The stallion would have to fend him off. And judging by the way you act, it seems like you want it to be you?”

I blushed and looked at the ground. Vanilla sat by me, “His name is Black Out. Very brutish and hot tempered.”

Vanilla lifted my head up with her hoof and looked into my eyes, “I don’t want you to go off and try to be a hero. I don’t want you to get hurt. I can tell that you’re new to all this,” Vanilla kissed me on the cheek “and I don’t want you to change.”

I held the cheek she kissed and she smiled. Vanilla got up and left. I knew that I needed to help her out with Black Out, even though she told me not to. She deserves better.

Wait... what am I talking about?!

She is right. I am new to all this. I need to talk to somepony who knows more than I do about this place. Somepony who’s nice. A pony like Deep Blue. He seemed nice and he helped me yesterday. I bet he’s in the mess right about now. Seems like it should be breakfast time.

I stood up and walked out the door into the hallway and walked to the mess. I knew the ship a little better now, so I didn’t have to have a pony lead me around this time. I made it to the mess and it was indeed breakfast time. I looked throughout the crowd of hungry ponies to find Deep Blue.

No luck.

I looked again to make sure, but he wasn’t here.

I stepped outside and walked around the ship. I made it to the opposite end of the ship and heard a familiar voice, “Hey, boi o! Good Morning!”

I looked up and saw a smiling navy blue pony.

Deep Blue.

I smiled back, “I was looking for you.”

Deep Blue was looking out at the ocean, but he stepped back from the side of the boat and focused all his attention on me, “Oh? And what might be the reason for that?”

“I had a few questions.”

Blue laughed and sat on a barrel that was placed against the side of the boat. Probably filled with grain, “So the kiddo has a question about the new crowd he’s found himself in, eh? And what might that be?”

I took in a deep breath and looked Blue straight in the eyes, “Vanilla Essence is a prostitute and her pimp treats her badly and I want him to stop, so I need to fight him.”

Blue just stared at me. Did I explain it right? Did I just sound like an idiot. Blue smiled and scratched his head, “Didn’t anypony ever teach you to pick your fights? Maybe your father?”

I never really knew my father. He left me and my mother when I was just a young colt. I looked at Blue, “Never had much of a father figure.”

Blue’s eyes got heavy, but he quickly changed his expression to a kind smile and stood up, “I’ll take you under my wing, boi o. I’ll teach you what you need to know. You have any questions, I’ll be here for you.”

Blue ruffled up my mane with his hoof, “And your first lesson is to pick your fights. You can’t just go and make enemies.”

I looked up at blue, “But he hurts Vanilla.”

Blue scratched his head again, “The prostitute, right?”

“Yes, but does it really matter who she is?”

Blue did another one of his kind smiles, “I suppose not, my boy. If a stallion is harming a mare, that isn’t ok, let’s get that out of the way, but you gotta know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look before you leap, my boy!” Blue smiled, “You just gotta keep your wits about you in a place like this.”

I looked at Blue with a stern expression and he laughed, “I’m guessing I’m not gonna stop you, eh?”

I shook my head and he sighed, “Then I guess I can only ask if you think this is the right choice for you to take.”

“I think it is. Vanilla deserves better.”

Blue smiled, “Then I guess it’s decided, but if you get in any trouble that you don’t think you’ll be able to get out of, don’t be expectin’ me to help you out, boi o.”

I smiled and nodded. Walking away, I faintly heard Blue sit back down on the barrel and say, “Who am I kidding? I’d probably help that colt right when he’s in his time of need.”

I smiled on my way back to my room. Didn’t know where I would find this pony named Black Out, so I thought I’d get a bearing on the whole situation. I sat on my bed and thought to myself.

I heard a knock at my door, “Digi, you in there?”

I turned around to face the door. I guess I won’t be thinking, “Yeah. Come in.”

Kage came in, “So how did you sleep?”

“I slept well. Surprisingly for a boat ride. How about you?”

Kage sat down on the bed, “Well, me and Kynes heard a pony walking around last night. Did you?”

He must be talking about Vanilla, “Yeah. I heard that, too.”

“Do you think this place could be,” Kage gulped “haunted?”

I laughed, “No. I don’t think so.”

Kage laughed with me and stood up, “I think we should go onto the deck. Not much to do down here.”

I got up, “I think you’re right. Let’s go.”

Kage and I walked up to the deck of the ship. I just came from here, but it seemed like he was tired of being in the sleeping quarters.

It was afternoon now. About time for lunch. I haven’t eaten yet, and by the looks of Kage, it seemed like he hadn’t eaten either.

I turned to Kage, “You want to go and see what the mess has for lunch?”

Kage smiled, “You read my mind.”

Kage and I ran to the mess. Once we got there, our snouts were filled with the smell of carrots and corn. We looked around for a place to sit. I saw Blue and he was smiling at me and waving. I walked to the table with Kage following close behind and we both sat down.

I turned to Blue, “So I guess you got hungry, too?”

Blue smiled, “Yes. A life of a pony who worries is a tough job. Especially one who has to worry about one such as yourself, my boy.”

Food was placed at the table by a mare and we all began to eat, “I thought you said you wouldn’t worry about me, Blue?”

Blue laughed and continued to eat, “I said I won’t help you if you get yourself in trouble, boi o. Doesn’t mean I can’t worry if you will.”

We all continued to eat. Blue was just smiling like always. He seems like he’s a pony who’s confident in his own self. A stallion who’s been through many hardships in his life. I could tell it in his eyes.

Blue saw that I was staring at him, “Got another question, my boy?”

I smiled, “No. Just wondering how an old pony like yourself still gets in shape.”

Blue smiled and cut his eyes at me, “Well I usually just find the pony who calls me old and use him as a punching bag, boi o.”

We both laughed and continued eating. Kage didn’t seem like he payed much attention to us. He seemed almost distant. Like he was hiding something.

Oh well. If he is indeed hiding something, I shouldn’t intrude.

A pony busted into the mess and yelled, “We’re almost there!”

I turned around and saw Salty Jack, “Our destination is upon us! Expect to arrive at night!”

Everypony in the room started to cheer while Jack left.

Kage poked me, “Looks like we’ll need to all stick together tonight for the landing.”

I nodded and ate a little more before I headed out. I walked to the front of the ship and saw an island far into the distance. It was dark. Maybe it was just the distance, but it couldn’t be. I could feel the darkness. I didn’t feel right.

I was interrupted by a mare screaming. It sounded like Vanilla. I quickly ran toward the sound of her scream which lead me to the last room on the right in the sleeping quarters.

I busted in and saw a dark grey pony with a black and dark blue, slicked back mane right about to punch Vanilla. I tackled the pony before he could and realized something.

This is Black Out.

Chapter 4 - Keep your wits about you

Black Out shoved me off, “What do you think you’re doing?”

I stood up and brushed myself off, “Stop hurting Vanilla.”

I saw Vanilla just looking at me. She was surprised, but then Black Out stood in my line of sight, “How about you get the fuck out before I have to teach you a lesson?”

I wasn’t gonna leave, so I ran toward him and tried to punch him in the stomach, but he dodged and hit me in the back of the head and made me fall.

“So it seems like we have a hero in our midst. Ok Mr. Hero,” He picked me up by the back of my shirt collar, “let’s fight.”

I tried to punch him in the face, but he blocked and tossed me on the ground. I got up and saw that Vanilla was worried. She was right, Black Out was brutish.

He started to walk toward me, but I tripped him and bucked him. I was kinda surprised I pulled it off. The force of my buck sent him into the wall, but he got up with a smile on his face.

This scared the shit out of me.

I stepped back against the door while he walked toward me. Black Out lifted up his right hoof and punched me through the door, making the door fall apart into splinters and planks. The force of the punch made me hit the other side of the hall way and I fell into a pile of the splintered door.

I got up as quickly as I could, but he was already right in front of me, so I just tackled him when I got up to his stomach. This surprised him and I took him down.

Something got a hold of me. I just pinned him down and beat my right hoof into his face over and over again. Blood started to get on my hoof, but then Black Out punched me off and pinned me down. He returned the favor. My face started to lose feeling, but I could feel blood leaving and could see it on his hoof. I got one of my back hooves loose and kicked him in the crotch making him fall off of me.

I stood over him and just kicked him continuously. Pretty soon I could tell he was knocked out. He just laid there.

I turned to Vanilla and she had a tear in her eye. I walked over to her slightly, “Don’t worry. I’m ok.”

She looked down at Black Out and so did I, “He’s strong.”

I collapsed and passed out. Maybe due to loss of blood? Maybe because this was the first time I’ve ever fought a pony? Whatever the reason, I was tired.

*~*~*

I woke up in my room with Blue hovering over me, “So you decided to just go ahead and fight him, eh?”

I looked around and saw Kage, Kynes and Vanilla standing around me. Black Out was nowhere to be found, thankfully.

Vanilla could tell what I was thinking about, “Don’t worry, Digi. They locked him in the brig. He’s gonna go to prison when we get to the island.”

I remembered. We’ve almost reached our destination, “How long until we reach the island?”

Kage stepped forward, “We’re getting fairly close. It’s almost sundown right now.”

Almost sundown? How long was I passed out?

Blue laughed, “Yes, Digi. You were passed out for quite some time.”

I looked at Blue, “How did you know what I was thinking about?”

Blue smiled, “Even if you look like your face just got smashed into the ground, I could still tell when you’re surprised, my boy.”

That’s right. I probably look like shit. Even though I did a number on Black Out, he still got me back just as much.

Kynes started to speak, “I’m gonna go and keep a watch on the deck. See when we’ve almost reached the island so I can come tell you guys.”

Everypony nodded and Kynes left with Kage. Now only Vanilla and Blue were here.

Vanilla sat on the bed next to me, “Why did you do that, honey?”

I looked at Vanilla, “Fight Black Out? I wasn’t just gonna let you get hurt. A true stallion wouldn’t do that.”

Blue butted in the conversation, “Yes, and a smart pony chooses their fights carefully like I said. You did beat him, but what if you weren’t so lucky?”

I looked up at the ceiling, “I guess you’re right. I guess I’m just stupid.”

Blue looked at me with a stern expression, “Now don’t you say that. You aren’t stupid, my boy. You’re just a little too-”

Vanilla stopped Blue, “No. You are stupid. I told you not to fight him, sweetie.”

Blue laughed, “I think this mare could teach you a thing or two, boi o.”

I looked down and Vanilla laughed, “I’m just playing. You were very brave. You just need to learn to choose your fights like Blue said.”

Blue got up, “I think I’ll go and see what those other two ponies are doing on the deck.”

Blue winked at me and left. Vanilla layed down next to me, “Thank you, Digi.”

I looked at her, “You’re welcome.”

She kissed me. I blushed and kissed back. I wrapped my hooves around her and she put her hoof on the side of my face, “I guess you protect me now, Digi.”

She’s right. She said if a pony could beat Black Out that they’d be her new pimp, “So... I’m a pimp?”

She laughed, “Yeah. I guess so. Although I’d like to call you my protector more.”

I began to doze off in her arms, “I’m still a little tired.”

She smiled and laid her head next to mine, “I’ll be right here, darling.”

I fell asleep if only for a little while. It seemed like after a few seconds of sleep, I was awoken again by Kynes, “We’ve arrived! We’re pulling into the docks now!”

I quickly woke up and got out of bed with Vanilla. I saw Kynes quickly run back up to the deck. I followed close behind Kynes and opened the doors for Vanilla. When I got up to the deck, what I saw was nothing like Equestria... Hmmmm... I haven’t thought of that place in quite some time.

This island was dark. I could see smoke rising from inside the city next to the docks. Some ponies walked around with spears and others with muskets. Other ponies were just walking in cramped alleys in between small and large buildings alike, but not too large. The biggest I could see seemed like three stories high. I saw one or two ponies come out of there that were falling down on themselves for no reason. Too much cider, perhaps.

I was interrupted by a board walk coming to meet the boat from the island. An old pony waited on the other side motioning all of us off the boat. Everypony walked onto the dock. I was close by Vanilla, Kynes, and Kage. Blue was just a little farther ahead of us.

We all made it off the boat and onto the dock. Everypony looked around and then we looked toward the old pony who motioned us off the boat who was now in front of us, “Welcome!” the old stallion turned around to look at the big city with the smoke rising above it from factories.

The old pony turned toward us again with a devilish grin, “Welcome... to The Pit.”

Episode 6: The End of a Soothing Rain

Chapter 21 - Demons never rest

I walked back to my bedroom as Blue and Misty walked to their own. I was scared that maybe Ecstasy was going to come here tonight.

Vanilla was still asleep, so I made sure to be quite. I had to get ready to fight the demon that could be coming to visit tonight, but how? I didn’t have a holy weapon like Storm did. I sat on the bed to think more.

I put my head in my hooves. I had a distant memory return. Equestria. I remembered running through grassy fields with friends. Picking flowers for my mom. It was peaceful... and I left it just like everypony else in The Pit. Why? Now I find myself hunting down demons and worrying about if I was going to die. I was worried... about death...

A tear streamed down my face. I had to stop thinking about that. It only hurt me. I stood up and walked out. I decided to go and talk to Kage and Kynes.

I walked into their room and Kynes waved to me, “Hey there, Digi. How are you?”

Kage smirked, “Did Vanilla wear that maid costume?”

Kynes laughed, “Oh yeah! Did she?”

I blushed, “Yes, but that’s not what I want to talk about. I wanted to talk to you guys about Ecstasy.”

Kage laid back, “You mean the demon that might be coming to see us?”

I nodded, “Yes. Might be coming to see us tonight.”

Kynes looked at me, “Woah woah woah. I just got done shooting up Crimson Tear, and now you’re saying another demon might come here tonight?”

I scratched my head, “Well I don’t know. Maybe.”

Kage pulled out his steel pipe, “I got this,” he looked at it and set it back down, “it does shit.”

Kynes nodded, “That’s another thing. The only one who seems like they can actually harm a demon is Storm. What the hell do we do?”

I shrugged and sat down, “I don’t know. Distract, I guess.”

Kynes laid back, “Fantastic. Fan-fucking-tastic.”

Kage laughed, “I just hope it won’t be tonight. I already had enough action.”

Kynes smirked, “I bet Digi and Vanilla got enough action, too.”

I blushed again, “Do you guys just like embarrassing me?”

Kynes laughed, “It definitely is fun.”

Storm opened up the door, “She’s coming.”

We stood up. Kage scratched his head, “The demon?”

Storm nodded and walked away. Kynes looked at me and Kage, “Shit.”

We walked out and into the main building with Storm. We all stood there. Storm pulled out his glowing sword, “I don’t know where she is exactly, but she’s almost here. I can sense it.”

Kynes walked forward, “Sensed it? How do you sense it?”

Storm began to walk toward the door that lead outside, “This blade has changed me. We should be in the courtyard.”

We nodded and walked outside with Storm. It was dusk. The last light of the sun was slowly receding from the sky.

Storm turned to us, “I know you do not have weapons capable of killing a demon, but I still need your help. Even if you have normal weapons, they can still cause pain.”

Kage shrugged, “Then why was Crimson Tear not caring earlier?”

Storm turned to Kage, “Because he was focused on killing.”

Kage nodded and pulled out his steel pipe, “I guess I’ll just have this out, then.”

Kynes looked at me, “Why did it have to be tonight?”

Storm overheard, “Evil doesn’t sleep, Kynes. Demons don’t either.”

Kynes sighed, “Yeah, but I sure want to.”

Kage nodded, “You got that right.”

Storm turned to us, “Will you two shut u-”

A scream came inside of the church. It sounded like...

I ran inside before anypony else. Adrenaline coursed through my body all because of one scream. I ran through the hallway to my room. I ran past Blue and Misty who were standing out of their bedrooms.

I opened the door and saw a pegasus holding Vanilla. She had a dark purple coat, a long, black mane and tail, and magenta eyes. It was Ecstasy. The Thorned Rose.

She looked at me and smirked, “Hello, Digi. For a pony who wants the best for Vanilla, you certainly don’t keep an eye on her.”

I picked up a wooden plank from what looked like an old chair, “Put her down!”

She smiled, “No. I have something else planned,” she licked Vanilla’s neck and bit it slightly, “something fun.”

I teared up a little and ran toward her, “PUT HER DOWN, YOU BITCH!”

I swung the plank at her, but she just blocked it and grabbed me, too, “Two ponies? Even more fun.”

She smiled as I struggled to get loose, but we were already flying away.

Where were we going? I didn’t know. I looked down at the church that was getting farther and farther away as I hoped that Storm, Kage, and Kynes would come and help.

I looked at Vanilla and whispered, “I love you.”

She looked back at me and teared up, “I love you, too.”

Chapter 22 - In a bed of roses

It felt like hours went by. I just wanted to go back with Vanilla. We were brought inside an old wooden building. It had dark red carpets and curtains. We were both thrown inside a room with the door locked behind us. The bed sheets were a pink colour. I looked at Vanilla, “Where are we?”

She sat on the bed and wiped her eyes, “I believe it’s an o-old brothel.”

I tilted my head, “Old brothel?”

She tried to stop crying, but couldn’t, “Y-yeah. Who was that, Digi?”

I sat down beside her, “Her name is Ecstasy. She’s a demon.”

She laid her head in my lap. Seeing her like this almost made me want to tear up, but I knew I had to find a way out. I looked around the room.

There were no windows, so that wasn’t an option. No vents, so that was also crossed out. The door was locked...

We were stuck in here, it seemed. I kissed Vanilla on her cheek and rubbed her side. This is why I needed to get her out of here. I didn’t want her to go through this. What was a brothel anyways?

I looked down at Vanilla, “What’s a brothel?”

She laughed slightly underneath her tears, “It’s a whore house. A place I would have worked at. In fact, I did work at this one for a little while. I remember it.”

“Do you know of anyway to get out of here?”

She shook her head, “No. I wish I did.”

She kissed me and laid down. I stood up and walked around the room. I walked to the door and put my ear against it. I heard a pony walking toward it.

I sat down on the bed and Vanilla sat up, “What is it?”

The door opened and Ecstasy walked in smiling, “Hello, my play toys. I expect you to be feeling at home.”

Vanilla got up, “Let us out.”

She shook her head and smirked, “I don’t think I will. But I do think I will have fun with your little coltfriend.”

She looked at me and winked, but Vanilla stepped in the way, “You better not lay a hoof on him, you bitch!”

I stood up. Ecstasy walked toward Vanilla, “Then maybe I’ll just have fun with you.”

She grabbed Vanilla and pulled her out of the room. I ran toward her, “NO!”

The door shut in my face and locked. I banged my hooves against the wood. I did so for about a minute.

I turned around and put my back against the door, sliding down it. I cried, “Why? Why is this happening?”

I hit the door with my elbow and punched the wall. What was she doing to Vanilla? The thoughts rushed through my mind, only making me cry more.

It was about half an hour until I heard a pony coming down the hallway toward the door. I got up and turned around. The door opened and Vanilla was tossed in, the door locked after. Vanilla hugged me, tears streaming down onto my shoulder. I hugged her tightly and held the tears back.

She walked to the bed and sat down, looking down and crying. I sat down by her and held her hoof. Her clothes were torn slightly. I teared up slightly, “A-are you ok?”

Why the hell did I ask that? Of course she wasn’t. Vanilla looked at me and cried on my shoulder, “P-please. W-we need to get o-out.”

I stood up and walked toward the door, “I’ll get you out.”

I looked at the door and backed up. Vanilla watched me. I nodded at her. I ran toward the door and it opened right when I reached it.

I looked up and saw Ecstasy staring down at me, “Hello, Digi.”

Vanilla ran toward the door, “You better not, you bi-”

The door slammed in front of her face and Ecstasy picked me up, “Let’s go have fun.”

She smiled as I struggled to get away. I couldn’t. She took me into another room and threw me onto a warm bed. She smiled and floated over the bed. Her wings pushing air down onto me.

She laughed, “Are you ready, Digi?”

I shook my head and crawled away. She smirked and pinned me down onto the bed, “Now don’t run away, Dig-”

She stopped in mid sentence. Her mouth was wide open. Why? I crawled out from under her. She began to change into her demon form.

I looked behind her and saw Storm. His blade was stabbed inside Ecstasy. I stood up quickly and backed away.

Storm twisted the sword inside Ecstasy and pulled it out, “How does that feel?”

She turned around and slashed her claws toward Storm, “Bastard!”

Storm dodged her claws, “Angry?”

She slashed her claws toward him once again, “Die!”

He jumped away from her attack, “No? Furious?”

She jumped toward him, “FUCK YOU!”

Storm dodged and held his sword up to Ecstasy’s neck, “How about dead.”

Ecstasy sighed and then smirked, “Go ahead and kill me, demon hunter. My siblings will simply hunt you down and make sure you suffer. They will come for you. One by one.”

Storm sliced his sword through her neck, decapitating her. The corpse fell down and turned to dust as Storm put his sword away, “I’ll be waiting.”

I just looked at the pile of dust, surprised. Was it really that easy to kill a demon? Or was it perhaps she wasn’t as powerful as Crimson Tear?

Storm stepped into the dust, “Where’s Vanilla?”

I looked up at him, “Th-this way.”

I walked toward the room Vanilla was locked inside. I was still surprised. Everything happened so quickly. I noticed Kage and Kynes weren’t with him, “Where are Kage and Kynes?”

Storm continued to follow me, “I told them to stay behind to look after the church.”

I scratched my head as I reached the door, “Why?”

He looked at me, “One demon means a whole mess of them, like Ecstasy said. They know where we hide now. We aren’t safe anymore.”

I opened up the door as I looked at Storm. Vanilla ran out of the room and hugged me as Storm stared back at me, “Get ready, Digi. This was just the beginning.”

Chapter 23 - The coming storm

Storm lead us outside the building through the back entrance. He turned to us, “I think that we should just walk back to the church and skip over the sewers... I understand you’ve had a hard time.”

Vanilla looked down and began to tear up. I held her close to me and looked at Storm, “Yes. Thank you.”

Storm nodded and turned around, walking away as we followed him. I was holding Vanilla close as we walked. She cried. I could see some bruises and cuts on her. I couldn’t help but tear up slightly as well.

I kissed her forehead and tried to cheer her up, “We’re out of there now. It’ll be ok.”

She stopped and fell to her knees, beginning to cry loudly. Storm turned, “What’s wrong?”

I knelt down beside her and held her hoof, “Please. It’s going to be ok.”

She shook her head and rocked back and forth, “No... I-I can’t go back. I can ne-never go back.”

I wiped a tear from my eye, “It’s not your fault. Please, Vanilla.”

She looked at me, “I know it isn’t, Digi! That doesn’t change the fact th-that it happened...”

I knew she was... raped... I knew she was, but I didn’t want to think about it. How couldn’t I, though? I couldn’t help but let the thoughts fill my head. I let them and I could feel the tears coming up, but I held the tears back. I had to be strong for Vanilla.

I hugged her tightly, “We can’t change the past, Vanilla, but I’ll make sure the future is better. I promise.”

She slightly nodded and I helped her up. Storm turned back around and continued to walk as we followed.

I whispered to her, “I’ve been thinking of how I could get you and Misty back to Equestria. It should be possible, I just have to fi-”

Vanilla stopped me, “B-but what about you?”

I sighed. I couldn’t just leave all that I’ve done here behind. I got myself into this fight and I’m going to finish it. I’m going to make sure it stops. I tried to smile, “I’ll try and come later. My first worry is to get you two out of The Pit.”

She turned to me with a furious expression, “I want you to leave with us! Why won’t you leave with us?!”

I teared up slightly, “I got myself into this fight. I’m not going to leave until it’s finished. I’m sorry Vanilla. You know that I love you, but I can’t just leave evil like this free to do what it wants.”

Her expression turned more serious, but then she sighed and nodded, “Ok... If you say so,” she smirked and chuckled while crying slightly, “Blue was right. You really need to choose your fights more carefully.”

I smiled. I need to talk to Blue more. I didn’t really want to admit it, but he was like a father to me, yet I didn’t talk to him much. I turned to look at Vanilla, “Yeah. He’s a good stallion, isn’t he?”

She smiled, “Y-yeah. You should talk to him more. He said that he wanted to.”

I chuckled, “Can you read my mind or something?”

She kissed me on the cheek, “Someone has to know what you’re thinking about.”

Storm glanced at us while continuing to walk, “Are you feeling better, Vanilla?”

She teared up. She began to fully remember what happened earlier, “N-no, but I think I’ll be okay.”

I sighed and kissed her, “I love you, Vanilla. Never forget that.”

She smiled slightly and nodded, “I love you, too.”

It was silent for a while. We just followed Storm toward the church. After awhile we passed by the theatre where Storm killed Big Don. It was burnt down. Some ponies were picking up the rubble and cleaning out the place.

I turned away, knowing what happened inside there. Vanilla looked at me, “What happened here?”

Storm glanced back, “Nothing. Just an unfortunate event.”

I looked down and sighed, “Yeah... Unfortunate.”

Vanilla looked confused, but nodded as we continued to walk. Unfortunate wasn’t enough to explain what happened in there. All those ponies died. Today was more than just unfortunate.

After a few more minutes of walking, we saw smoke in the distance. Storm paused, “No.”

He began to run toward the smoke. Vanilla looked at me, “Is that...”

My eyes widened, “The church.”

Vanilla and I both chased after Storm. What was going on?

We reached the church and saw Storm with Kage and Kynes. I ran over to them, “What happened?!”

Kynes shook his head, “I don’t know. We saw Crimson Tear and some other ponies with him walk into the church and all of a sudden a fire started.”

Kage scratched his head, “It spread fast. We had to get out of there.”

I looked around, “Where’s Blue and Misty.”

Kynes pointed to the church, “Blue ran in to get Misty, but he never came back out.”

I looked at Storm and we nodded at each other. I stood up and began to run toward the church with Storm, but Vanilla stopped me, “Please come back, Digi.”

I kissed her, “I will.”

I let her go and ran inside the church. Fire surrounded me. Storm was already farther inside than I was. I could faintly hear Misty screaming and Blue talking.

I rushed toward her screams through the burning building. I needed to get to her before this whole place fell apart.

As I got closer, I heard something else. It sounded like another pony, and he was close. I chose to ignore it. I needed to get to Misty.

I made it to her room and saw Blue holding her. I ran over to him, “You ok?”

He scratched his head and coughed, “Yeah. I’ll be fine. Let’s get the little one out, though.”

I looked at Misty, “Are you ok, Misty?”

She coughed, “Mhm...”

I nodded and turned toward the door, beginning to escort Blue out of the building. I heard that other pony again. Who was that?

After walking through the burning building for a little while, we made it out, but Storm was still inside, it seemed.

I pointed my hoof toward Kage, Kynes, and Vanilla while looking at Blue, “Go and stay with them. Make sure Misty is ok.”

Blue tilted his head, “What about you?”

I turned back to the church, “I’m going to get Storm.”

I ran inside the burning building once again, this time hearing two ponies with Storm. They were fighting. I could hear it clearly as I ran to where it was coming from. The tower.

When I made it up, I saw an alicorn holding a sword with an obsidian coat and fiery mane and tale with his back facing me standing next to a rather fat pony with a cream coat and a lanky brown mane and tale. They stood over another pony which I guessed was Storm, but I couldn’t get a good look.

The fat pony noticed me and turned toward me, “Oooooo. Food!”

I backed away and got a good look at Storm... wait...

It was Storm. I knew because he had the glowing sword and the same armor, but he wasn’t a pony. He was a... changeling.

Chapter 24 - A change in tides

Storm looked at me and shook his head while the pony with the fiery mane noticed me, “Oh look, Gluttony. Do you want something to eat?”

The pony with the cream coat, apparently named Gluttony nodded furiously, “Oh yes, War! Please! Let me eat.”

I looked at the pony with the fiery mane. War? Gluttony? What is going on?

War smirked, “Go ahead and eat the pony. I have no quarrel with him.”

Gluttony rushed over toward me. My eyes widened and I jumped out of the way before the pony could grab me. I ran toward Storm as War raised his sword to his neck. I rolled underneath War’s blade, grabbing Storms sword from beside him and blocking War’s attack at the last second, “You’re not going to do this!”

War smiled and slowly lowered his blade, “I enjoy a bit of conflict.”

He slashed toward me and I quickly blocked his attack. I jumped back and he smirked, “Gluttony!”

The fat pony looked at War anxiously, “Yes?”

War slashed toward me, quickly blocking him once again. He chuckled, “Eat the changeling.”

My eyes widened as Gluttony rushed toward Storm. He opened his mouth, his jaw unhinging, creating a gaping maw. No.

I ran over to him, while War sliced his blade through my side. I could feel the pain, but I ignored it. I couldn’t let Storm die.

I grabbed Storm, his back hooves already in the mouth of Gluttony. I ripped him away and jumped out of the window of the tower, falling a good forty-five feet.

I think I broke a few bones. Storm’s sword was stuck in the ground about ten feet away from me. I looked at the changeling and could see him struggling to hang onto life. Storm was missing his legs. His entire lower half was ripped away from him, now being eaten by Gluttony.

I teared up, “S-Storm!”

He looked at me, coughing up green blood, “Take my sword... finish what I started... Take ‘The Begotten’.”

The Begotten? Was that the name of his sword?

I crawled toward him as Blue, Kage, and Kynes rushed toward me. The church began to fall apart as I held onto Storm, “Don’t leave, Storm. We can finish this together.”

Storm tried to smile as he teared up slightly, “I can’t, Digi. My body is broken, just like the church. There is no place for me here now.”

I tried to hold back my tears, “But how will I find the demons?!”

Storm laid his weary head into the grass as he looked up into the sky, “Take the blade, Digi. Don’t worry...”

His eyes glazed over as he spoke with his final breath, “They’ll find you...”

I fell over onto my back. No... Why did Storm have to go? Why did he have to die?

As I looked up, I saw War looking down at me. His eyes were completely black with a hint of a scarlet flame. He smirked down at me as he turned and walked away.

I could barely hear what was going on around me. Kage and Blue started to pull me away from the now collapsing tower as Kynes snatched the sword out of the ground and rushed away. The tower was the only thing still standing, and it was now falling.

As I was dragged away, the burning tower fell on top of Storm. His body now burning with the building. It was poetic in a dark sense. I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see it, but I could smell it. The burning building.

My hearing slowly returned to me. Vanilla set my head in her lap, “Digi! Please talk to me!”

She was crying. I nodded slightly, “I-I’ll be fine. I just want you and Misty to be ok.”

She smiled as tears streamed down her face, “We’re ok... We’ll be ok.”

My feeling returned to me. The pain from the gash in my side. The broken bones from the fall. It was too much. I couldn’t go back into the church to rest. It was destroyed. Where else could I go?

I remembered the apartment we stayed in when we first arrived here and gripped onto Vanilla’s shoulder, “P-please t-ake me b-back to th-the apar-ment.”

She quickly nodded while crying as I drifted off. Everything left me. My feeling. My pain. It was gone. The only thing left were my thoughts.

Was I dead?

No... I couldn’t be. I’m still alive. I have to be, but Storm...

Storm... Storm is dead. He burnt with the church. Maybe it was the way he would’ve wanted to go... I’ll tell that to myself just to make his death slightly less painful to me... but only slightly.

He was a changeling, but that didn’t change the fact that he was a friend.

I guess that didn’t change the fact that he was now burning underneath a collapsed church tower, either, but I’m still alive, and I will finish what he started.

I’ll finish what I got into.