Hero in the Dark

{ You Are A Male }

PROCESSING. PLEASE WAIT...
...
PROCESSING COMPLETE. GENDER CHOSEN: MALE.

Their eyes open even wider as they get a good look at your face. Then Princess Luna smiles before turning to her sister and giving her a triumphant nod. Celestia, however, sighs before planting her right palm over her forehead, more than likely bracing herself for an upcoming headache.

"See, Tia?! We told you that We were paying extra attention to the letter!"

Celestia sighs again and deadpans at Luna. "Oh, ha-ha... so maybe you were right this time! It's not like I'm completely wrong! I mean, look at him! He's still very much the one that Faust sent us!"

You clear your throat again, regaining their attention. You then look between the two of them and decide that the silent treatment would only get you nowhere at this point.

"No offense, Princesses, but I believe there are more pressing matters we need to discuss, besides my gender."

They look away from each other sheepishly before Celestia nods her head. You then cover your face back up in the mask and nod your head in silent approval. Finally, you could get on with your briefing.

"He's right, Luna. We need to inform him on what his main objective is." Celestia tells her sister.

"Agreed." The two of them then motion for you to follow them. You do so without hesitation.

"Welcome to Dark Sanctuary by the way... um..."

"Just 'Anonymous' is all I need to be known as." you clarify for Celestia. "With all due respect, it would be an invasion of my privacy and a threat to our safety if my true name were to be revealed to those in this world... you both included."

They nod their heads in understanding. "Of course, Anonymous... though there's no need to worry about your safety in here, we will not press on that matter. After all, it's not like we will be here for very long, anyways."

"Duty calls... I understand." you tell them, much to their relief. You know the feeling all too well, after all. It's not like you weren't doing anything before they called you in for a mission in HUB City... or more specifically, a mission that would have you going to Equestria, a world where they still have yet to realize the existence of your world, let alone HUB City; a completely different district that connects all worlds into one universe. Only a very limited number of people and creatures have ever been lucky enough to enter it, let alone learn about it... and you just happened to be one, due to your unusually skillful capabilities in... certain questionable activities.

Luna motions towards an opening in the cave. Upon closer inspection, you notice two unicorn guards standing there, each wearing a cloak similar to your own, but without the mask. Their snouts are covered with their own blue scarves, and their eyes are glued directly onto you.

Once they notice you looking their way, they salute you with respect before bowing their heads down, much to your surprise. Luna clears her throat and begins explaining.

"These two are Keen Eye and Silent Walk... two of the best members of the Shadow Council. Their missions are to guard you, and obey every command that you have for them, so long as it isn't too far above the law. Rest assured, they are already aware that you are from HUB, and have been trained to not react to anything out of the ordinary, unless the things are life threatening or risk compromising our plans."

You nod your head and salute the two in response before turning back to Luna. "Are there more?"

She tilts her head confusedly. "Don't you know already?"

You lightly chuckle before nodding your head. "Yes. I was just seeing how much of the paperwork you've been researching." Then you look around and note the other shady figures who all nod their heads and salute you with respect. Your years training with the Shadow Council have certainly been noticed by the others in the Equestrian Branch, indeed... though this is more than likely the first time that some of these members have ever met you.

At least they know that you are a Master Nightshade... a title given to those who have aced every single trial with precision, and have been taught how to expand their vision to the point where darkness is their light... but the cost is that the magic used to expand their night vision deteriorates their vision during the day... but little do they know that the mask that you wear balances it all out, allowing you to see both day and night equally.

But what they don't know won't hurt them... especially since they are your brothers and sisters now.

Luna nods her head, clearly impressed. "Amazing... so you've already noticed the others?"

You nod your head again. "Indeed... and I must admit, I'm quite impressed with the numbers here. There seems to be few and far back in the other worlds."

She shrugs her shoulders. "With magic being very common in Equestria, I'm surprised we don't have more... though the modern day laws do tend to keep this organization hidden from the public, due to the... 'skills' that those within it specialize in."

You nod your head in understanding. "Understandable. With the lack of war, the need for bloodshed is far less common... and there hasn't been a single war in two thousand years, I believe... at least, that's what the books told me."

Luna crosses her arms and looks forward again. "Indeed... back in the Great Griffon War. Thousands of innocent lives were lost in each faction... but we held on, and in the end, it granted us victory, and new allies."

You cross your arms in thought. "True, but I doubt if the alliance was made in good terms."

She nods her head again. "A very loose thread, even. It took fifty years after the alliance was made when imports between Equestria and Griffonstone were allowed... and over a thousand years beyond that until colonists were allowed to settle on the others' lands... though that one, I wasn't here for." She looks around uncomfortably at the last statement.

You gently pat her on the back of her shoulders, causing her back to stiffen. "It's alright. What's passed is in the past. We can do nothing more than focus on the present, and let the future guide us."

She gives you a thankful smile before Celestia clears her throat. You both look ahead and you stop moving, while Luna continues forward, taking her place next to Celestia, who is now standing in front of a glowing map table with a magically projected hologram of Equestria on it. Inspecting it closer, you notice that it is even active, with several miniature projections of the inhabitants roaming out and about.

"This is the Map Table. It is here that you can see what goes on in the world, without having to even be there." Celestia explains to you.

You nod your head and notice a glowing red orb at the bottom of Canterlot Mountain. The orb, to your surprise, is a hologram of you and the others inside Dark Sanctuary.

You also notice that there's a transparent blue orb over Canterlot City. You motion your head towards it, causing the princesses to follow your eyes and nod their heads in understanding before looking at you.

"That is where your first assignment is. My student Twilight Sparkle, along with her friends, are currently preparing for the wedding of her older brother, Shining Armor, and her former foalsitter, Princess Cadence. All eight of them are vital to Equestria's survival, and not a single one of them should ever see harm. What's more, they must also remain unaware of our plans, lest they try getting involved as well... especially Twilight." Celestia debriefs you.

You nod your head in understanding. "So my mission is to ensure that nothing happens to them during the wedding... and if one steps out of line... improvise and disappear?"

"Precisely." she concludes with a nod. "Though I would also like to inform you of one other thing... it's vital that you know."

You cross your arms over your chest and motion for her to continue. "I'm listening."

She looks at the map uneasily before sighing. "Due to the secrecy of these missions, not even the Royal Guards know of this plan. Should you have to... dispose of someone... then I can't guarantee that the guards won't be alerted and try to pursue you as a criminal."

You smile at her and shake your head. "No need to explain further. The guards are innocents doing their duty, and are not to be killed."

She smiles at you again. "You catch on quickly... I like that." She then turns around and notices a tall, blue coated stallion cloaked in the Shadow Council Uniform with a large gaping scar over his left eye, sealing it shut. "Ah... it looks like our meeting time is up."

Luna nods her head to the stallion and the two start leaving the area. Celestia, however, stays behind.

"Thank you, by the way."

You tilt your head confusedly, causing her to clear her throat and explain further.

"Luna hasn't been able to speak to another individual casually... well, besides me... in over a thousand years. I know she may not have seemed like it, but she seems to have taken an interest in you."

"Ah... I see." you nod your head and cross your arms again, eyeing her inquisitively. "By the way... you knew that I was a male already... why did the two of you bicker like that, anyways?"

She lightly chuckles. "With her being younger than me, I'm certain you're aware of the need for her to 'always be right'... well, she hasn't necessarily been correct about many things, due to the changes in the cultures, and it's been getting to her head that she may be too 'outdated' in her side of our ruling."

"So you intentionally mistook me for a woman because you wanted her to be right about something?" you deduce. She nods her head in response, making you nod your head and smile at her once more. "That's quite noble of you... if only for a trivial matter, though."

"Trivial or not, Luna always takes things too seriously... but that's just how she was raised, I suppose. Our father, King Cosmos, influenced that on her... a perfectionist to the end."

You both hear someone clearing his throat near the entrance. Celestia sighs before saluting you again. "Well, I must be off. Good luck out there, Anon."

You salute her back but ask, "Anon?"

She winks at you. "With all due respect, I just think 'Anonymous' is quite a mouthful... I hope you don't mind."

You lightly chuckle and shake your head. "Not at all. If it makes you feel better, you could call me whatever you want to... so long as it isn't offensive, that is."

She nods her head again. "Then it's a deal. Good luck, and be careful out there, Anon."

You nod your head in response. "And to you as well... Celly."

After exchanging a small laugh, she turns and runs out the room, leaving you alone with the others, who silently await your orders.

Turning to face the map table, you slowly approach it with one of your daggers drawn reverse-bladed. Then you pierce the blade onto the table, directly onto the hologram of Canterlot Castle.

"Well, guys... looks like Canterlot is our first stop."

With silent nods, the stallions around you vanish into the shadows. Giving the bubble over the city one more curious look, you decide that there must be something else going on... something that the princesses want you to find out yourself, without the others involved. You just have to find out what it is... and to do that, you will need to head over to Canterlot Castle undetected.

With a confirming nod, you turn around and walk towards the wall, where you close your eyes and visualize a hidden area within Canterlot.

And before you take your first step towards the solid wall, you feel the world around you shifting. You fade into the darkness, and take your first step into the world as Anonymous... the Hero in the Dark.

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