"We need to get moving now!" Clover shouted at the both of us. That is not how you want to wake up in the morning.

"Why? This is the safest place you said," I said, losing my concern quickly.

"It's just, they tracked us here and he sent Dirty Rat after us," Clover said quickly. Dirty Rat... sounds familiar, where did I hear that name before? Back home in the cave? It can't be that dealer who hides aboard the supply boat. I had my chance to kill him, be a unknown hero but I couldn't, but if he's after us then it self defense which I can live by.

"What's his boss' name?" I asked Clover, who just starting making nervous gestures.

"Ehhhh... his name is... well its Petty Ruby," Clover spat out.

"I am soo scared of him," I said, making a fake scared look. "Just find him, tell him he's been challenged to a duel and blah blah blah,"

"Duel? A duel?! Why would you want to duel him?!" Clover scolded. I raised my hoof in protest and was about to explain myself. "You know what, I'll tell him about this 'duel' so get ready," He walked backwards out of the room and closed the doors. Penni looked towards me all worried. I wrapped my wing around her, moving her mane out of her eyes and kissed her forehead. She smiled and kissed me back. I must've been the most innocent thing before coming here, All these thoughts that have to wait till after the duel.

I got up from bed and headed towards the door. I looked back to see Penni, back asleep and safe. I leave the room and on my way to the outside world. Big mistake to challenge a criminal to an honor system like that but my cockiness got the better of me. There's no way he could turn down in offer like that, but then again... I don't expect him to play by the rules so much. To see such a crowd to watch a simple duel is not good. I trotted up to see him in his former 'glory' posing to be a famous gunslinger.

"Isn't it nobility at its finest. Decided to bathe in sunlight?" He asked rhetorically. "Oh and your eyes, those glasses go soooo welllll but I guess the brightness just doesn't adjust to everypony now does it," I don't like his attitude. Time slowed down and he continued to chatter away. Second time happening, means that something unexpected is going to happen. I flew at him, faster then ever and dove right behind him. Then a bullet whizzed through his throat, covering me in his dark blood. I activated my hoof-bow and aimed where the bullet came from. A little figure appeared but instead of shooting again, it left the scene. Time resumed and everypony is in a panic. Clover ran towards me in the midst of chaos, navigating through the pandemonium.`

"Are you okay Miss Moondust?" Clover asked within the shouting and screaming of the town. I looked fearful that instead of answering his question, I ran with Rat's cloak. (Sure, call me a grave robber but I deserved it for that devious plan of his.) The estate was fine but muffled screams came through the walls. I forgot to deactivate my hoof-bow but I'm glad now that I didn't. I saw a bandits, guarding Penni with some punk-ass leader interrogating her. She was gagged, had a switchblade stabbed through her right hoof, and tears streaking down her cheeks. I took aim and two fla-tits later, the bodyguards are twitching on the floor. Leaning in to see the boss more clearly, instead I get a stock to my head from a tall unicorn that appeared behind me.

"You've been quite the trouble for us, good thing you won't be here longer," She said, giving me a snarky glare. She was going to smash my head in again, but I blocked it with my reinforced hoof. I tried to trip her but she teleported away. I turned to see her with a knife. I got up and ready to fight, but I don't have any melee weapons to fight back with. Fairness is to high on my books to just simply shoot her but also she could catch it in mid flight and use it against me. Swipe after swipe I dodge, one manage to slice across my foreleg but then ricochet off my hoof-bow. Fairness isn't a reason to die for, while she was distracted I shot a arrow for her chest, instead with my unsteadiness I manage to pierce through her eye. Dumb luck, now I understand why they call it that.

I ran to Penni, who was still tied up in the chair with her hoof dripping blood. I pulled the knife out and heard her muffled scream again, I took the duct tape gag off (along with some hair off of her hide) and untied her. She fell on me, low breathing and tears still dripping. Driblets of blood fell onto the floor, I was worried and carried her to the bathroom to find some supplies. Setting her down, I ransacked the cabinets in search for bandages and something to clean the wound. Found some in the back of the mirror's built in cabinet and some rubbing alcohol. The wound went through her entire hoof, oh this was going to burn for her. Dabbing a piece of cloth with the alcohol, I tended to her wound, she let out a hiss of pain which is good, she's still alive. Wrapping the bandages around her wound, its really bad but hopefully it stays. She tried to move but I pushed her down to prevent her from making anything worse.

"Shhhh, Penni please don't worry. You're safe now and nopony is coming to hurt you," I said, rubbing her cheek carefully. They aren't going to touch her again, not until I'm dead. I helped her up and brought her to our room, setting her down onto the bed. "I'll be back Penni, don't worry," Kissing her forehead and leaving the room.

I heard arguing downstairs, I went to check it out and it turns out to be a white mare and Clover.

"Scootaloo knows some safe way to Canterlot, why can't you tell me where she is?" He asked quite angrily.

"Like I said, I promise to keep her position secret," The white mare said with a hint of frustration. Took a glance at me she did. "Scootaloo lives near the everfree forest, in Fluttershy's old cottage," She blurted out then covered her mouth. "You didn't hear that from me."

"Alrighty then, Clover take care of Penni while I visit this Scootaloo," I said, pointing a hoof upstairs. He nodded and ran up them. "You can go now," Pointing a hoof at the door, gesturing the white mare to leave.

"My name is Sweetie Belle, at least you could learn it," She snarled, leaving the estate. I got a meeting with a certain pony and I'm feeling a little funny about her. Wait... why did she blurt out Scootaloo's position to me? My nobility is a charm at times and a curse during others.

A wrecked olden cottage, windows barred and doors creaking with a sloppy sign saying Scootaloo's house, stay away. Couldn't just come here first instead of interrogating her Clover? Just focus ahead and knock on the door and... that's no good if it opens right before you knock. I enter wearily, expecting something, not expecting a skinny Pegasus with a familiar cutie mark. Didn't Sweetie Belle have a shield with some sort of symbol in it? Wait, didn't Applebloom too? Now's not the time to talk about cutie marks.

"You'll need a train to get there," She answered before me even asking, strange. "A favor for a favor if I may propose, the route for a deed," Oh no. "I'll just asked you to take the filly with you to Canterlot, then give her over to the palace," Why? Is she reading my thoughts and what filly?

"Why do you need an escort for the filly?" I asked. She grinned and showed me the white filly, her wings were glorious but her horn was much more majestic... wait what? This isn't possible, another alicorn here?

"Celestia's kin... surprised to see me with it? I am myself but the isolation was necessary to keep ponies from freaking out," She said while I was still gaping at the filly. "Tulip Passion her name is, Celestia loved tulips. Rainbow vouch for me to take care of her after all this nonsense happened, I didn't even want it but it's too late now," Makes sense why she wants this, but do I really want to be a foalsitter for an ruler's daughter?

"If its the only way then yes," I said, hoping nothing bad to come to the future ruler.

Author's Note

Sorry about this taking awhile, planned this chapter ahead (and some binge playing of fallout 4 and other games) but hopes of enjoyment are here and thanks for taking time to read my cringiness of a story.