Returning to a Dangerous Game

“Greetings agent Frost” a voice rasps.

I look up and see an orange unicorn wearing a collar brace, he looks like he lost a fight with a mantacore, but it’s the tip of his glowing horn that puts me on edge… I look around and see everyone is moving slower.

“Hello-“ I greet him “-I thought after the ‘incident’ with Yorla the Guild would cease all possible contact with me considering how I left on good terms with the elders”

“You’ll be happy to know that The Masochist has been ordered to stay as far away from you or your colleagues after her failure to bring you back to the Guild”

I look past the bars on the stallion’s collar brace and blow a smoke ring.

“So it was the elders that ordered the bounty?”

“Yes and no… the elders thought that since you were willing to kill the one close to you they thought you would be a danger to the secrecy of our organization, most of them decided to turn you into their own secret experiment as to what happens to an asset when it’s given its freedom while others wanted to follow procedure and kill you but since the majority vote ruled in your favor, they decided to disobey orders to leave you alone, sadly they forgot that you are a natural survivor, we just gave you the skills needed to last a little longer.”

”So what do they want?!” I shout.

“Word of your abilities to successfully negotiate with the Changeling queen spread through The Guild like wildfire” he dodges the question.

“But I was ejected out of Canterlot along with the Changelings”

“True but if the Princess of Love hadn’t interfered; then the Guild would have been able to further observe the queen but now that she’s a glass statue in the Canterlot gardens, our operations have come to a complete halt.”

“Are there any operations that involved keeping a close eye on me after I left?”

“You of all ponies should know that no one ever leaves the Guild, we have eyes everywhere in the world some of those eyes even walked into Celestia’s study to see the glass art of your accomplishments with the queen and Sombra… but to answer your question what they want is for you to return to The Guild”

“Why?”

“They know you are struggling to… adapt to ‘normal’ society.”

“I’ll change… it’ll take a few years but I’ll change. The entire point of surviving is being able to adapt to a situation”

“Maybe… but are you willing to wait that long?”

“In that case-“I snuff out the cigar “-tell the elders they can gum my fucking dick. If they didn’t want me to join the Equestrian spy ring they should’ve killed me shortly after refusing my request.”

“Very well Frostbite… I’ll be sure to send the elders your message.”

The unicorn powers off his magic… I look around to see everyone is moving normally… I light another cigar and the unicorn clears his throat.

“Are you going to drink all our rum again? Or are you going to control yourself and order a different drink?”

“Got any Vodka?”

My question isn’t answered because the intercom announces we’ll be arriving in Ponyville in ten minutes. I get off the stool and walk to an empty car. I toss the cigar out the window when we reach a clearing, the train starts to slow and I jump out landing into the tall grass then fly back to my apartment. Nothing is there to greet me except dust and the smell of booze I go into my room, pry open the floorboards and take out my crossbow, a few bolts and my knives then shove them into my saddle pack I hang the pack on the door and sleep in what might be the last real bed I'll ever sleep in.