Author's Note

This was a story I made mainly for my wife and I. She thought it was so good that I should upload it to see what others would think about it.

I must also apologize for my lack of description for the main character. Since this was made for my beloved, she knows what he looks like, so I felt no need to describe him. I will here, though, just so you all can just get a picture in your mind: A navy-blue earth pony wearing a black cloak and raven's mask with a wide-brimmed hat. His mane and tail are a light gray and he has violet eyes.

...that being said, there are some things within the story that might not make sense. Like the ponies having the ability to switch between an anthro form ('biped form'), and pony form. We added that in for our roleplays, mainly, and I thought it needed to be mentioned.

And another thing! Because this was a story I made for her, there are some things mentioned in it that only her and I would understand, but if this gains some sort of traction, I might expand upon that. We already have a whole entire series of stories based on our pony roleplays that all started with the events in this story, so I've plenty of content that could be explored.

Sorry for all that, I just needed to be sure some basic understandings were covered. Have fun~!

The day I became alive.

It was about midday. I was on top of a bank building, leaning against the doorway leading up to it, cigarette in my mouth. I was pretty much done with it, so I spat it out as I shoved my grappling hooks onto my hooves.

The Crow: that's what they started to call me. I really don't know how my original name, Nightshade, got turned into that. I didn't really care, they could call me what they wanted to. My presence meant the same to everypony: Death. Though, that's only if I was hired to do what I was meant to do; take those who are unnecessary or otherwise off of the face of Equestria.

I am a murderhoof for hire, if anypony needs me to make somepony disappear (whether lethally or not) I've been born to do just that. I have a call-sign meant to flag me down so somepony can make a deal with me. Toss a raven's feather wrapped in a red silk ribbon on the ground, and I'll haunt the area for exactly a whole week. My cutie mark is exactly that for a reason, I can sense when someone's calling me.

Such as what has happened in the past four days. Somepony summoned me, and I answered the call. It was an aristocratic pony of some advanced years. She explained to me that a pony by the name of Jack-o-Lantern killed her husband 'for the cause of rain', or something stupid like that. I did more research into the matter before accepting the offer, twenty thousand bits, and found out that her husband had owed some organization drug money. Though, I didn't take the job because of the moral outlook...I wanted revenge.

Jack-o-Lantern is one of three Jack triplets: him, Golden Jack, and High-Jack. They are renowned for being secretive, aggressive, and elusive. They've accrued a high body count because of their gang-related activities, and it's rising towards my own. Jack-o-Lantern crossed paths with me one day. I was not in costume, as the Crow, and was walking down the busy streets of Manehattan.

The fool demanded money from me, and I could do nothing as he and his unicorn brother, Golden Jack, held me down magically and forced my bits off of my person. I was going to use that one grand to buy some new blades from Heckel Err, my supplier. When they left, I remembered their scent, as well as their names and the way they look. I was told by my mother I had 'photographic memory', when really, that's just how deep I can hold grudges.

After letting these thoughts smolder in my head for a while, I secured my Crow costume on myself- It was time to go to work. I jumped from the top of the building, as high as I could, and shot my grappling hooks at the nearest roof corners. I swung from building to building, building up velocity as I flew over the bustling Manehattan. Any other pony could easily mistake me for another pegasus, or even a bird, as some have claimed.

According to my 'research', Jack-o-Lantern was stationed at a fishing warehouse near the docks. Him and his gang had low security employed on that place, especially now that I knew that they had just drank the night away the previous night. They would all still be sleeping off hangovers, the morons. I made it to the front of the warehouse in just under five minutes. These things Heckel Err designed were meant to give me an edge in case pegasi gave me a hard time. High-Jack was definitely a pegasus, but I doubt he'll be flying straight.

Undetected by anypony, I slipped right into the front door. I took my biped form, and almost panicked as I saw a rather muscly earth pony right next to the door, albeit asleep. I guess he was just one of the few that accompanied the triplets. A foul stench of alcohol and aged blood permeated my muzzle. I hated old blood. Fresh was always...refreshing. Hey, I can't come up with anything better, I'm old.

I used my hooks to get up into the rafters of the warehouse. I noticed that the interior was divided in two by an enormous crappy wooden panel, access allowed by means of a door on ground level. Though, this wall wasn't high enough to divide the rafters. It was significantly darker on the other side, though. That part of the warehouse was definitely a living area, complete with another door, which looked pretty decorated, and probably led to a lower level. The garage doors were shut on the farthest left, chained and bolted. Seemed like they were definitely trying to keep police from coming in.

They even had a couple of unicorns right next to those garage doors. I knew that they were my immediate threat, as they could use their Alert spells to detect me from meters away. Keeping a safe distance, I jumped from the rafters and landed silently on the concrete floor. My supplier gave me a neatly tailored pair of boots for this kind of situation. Standing up, I surveyed the area, seeing that the armed unicorns were conversing with one another, and completely ignoring this kindly shaded area behind a destroyed couch.

I knelt behind the couch and looked around. The living area was pretty simple, four couches, some bunk beds, and refrigerators. There were also two areas that were obviously bathrooms, and appliances whose brands were designed to last. This gang of ponies were meant to live here, that was for sure. They did pick a rather secluded area of the docks: a condemned building. Though, obviously someone had to be working for the demolition crew from within this gang to keep the building safe. Probably that burly flesh sack at the front entrance of the warehouse.

Cursing, I saw someone exit the bathroom, I had been lost in my 'detective mode' and almost didn't have time to duck down. But then I became very giddy. It was no other than my target who had left the room, wherein I heard some crying from inside. Whatever, probably some hooker they picked up on their way home. Promises of payment never make it to their clients; they always kill them. Probably why the blood scent was heavier in that bathroom.

I saw Jack-O wobble over to one of the couches and slump onto it, instantly falling asleep. How could this get any easier? All I had to do was blow-dart the unicorns, and just slit his throat. Easy...except for the fact that I was grabbed from behind and thrown over the couch I was hiding behind, and right into the middle of the room.

All of the ponies in the room immediately woke up and looked right where I was. I immediately held up my hands, which was probably a dumb idea, but I had to look as if I'd given up. A dim light had turned on, hardly illuminating the area. I looked to my right, seeing that meat sack from earlier had come into the living area, and likely spotted my tail from behind that couch. I made a mental note to tie up my tail in future excursions.

"What dafuck's going on?" demanded Jack-O in his gruff, Trottingham accent.

To my dismay, all three triplets were here, Golden Jack jumped from a lawn chair near the decorated door, rapier in hand, and High-Jack was hovering in pony form near him, glaring at me.

"It's the Crow. I let him sneak in so dat we could jump 'im, boss,", the raspy voiced meat sack declared. So that was his plan. Clever boy, that one.

"Nah, waitafuggin' minute," Jack-O said, getting up in biped form.

The sobbing stopped in the bathroom, and he was walking right up to me. As he did so, I observed my surroundings. I had let my senses dull as I heard nothing but murmurs and indistinguishable voices. My eyes darted around, looking at my options. I saw that there was a box of firecrackers in one of the corners, nearby the unicorns. What were they stocking those for? It was really convenient, however, for I had a flare gun in my possession, usually for causing distractions. If I shot a flare at that, it might-

I then realized that Jack-O was at my face, yelling at me.

"So what? You got somefin to say for y'self?", he bellowed, looking at me in rage.

"Actually," I said, laughing. "I don't."

I quickly slapped him in the face and whipped out my flare pistol, aiming at the box of fireworks. As anticipated, my plan worked and set the whole thing off. It was pure luck, too, that one of the rockets had fired right into Jack-O's head, knocking him over. All the ponies started to panic as I jumped into the rafters using my grappling hooks. Trying to ignore the flashing, I lowered the tint lens on my goggles to dim them. Over the screaming, I heard the Jack triplets barking orders to which nopony was listening to. Perfect.

I used this opportunity to snipe the unicorns with my blowgun. They fell instantly to the snake venom (lovely!) I then leaped down and started doing what I do best. I got behind each and every grunt and slashed their throats open with my dagger. It was so beautiful to see their blood spray amongst the flashing, I even ignored the big rocket flying towards the roof and blowing it to smithereens, because it made it all the more amazing. Bathing the area in sunlight, the hole in the roof was big enough for me to escape through when I needed to. Now...for my target.

With everyone but the triplets dead, I waited until they started stumbling towards me, the firecrackers finally stopping. It was so damn perfect, because I got all three of them. Since they were debilitated because of their hangovers, I managed to gut High-Jack, and took off Jack-O's head with ease. I know I stabbed Golden in the head, too (I think). I saw all of my work before me, lying on the ground, dead. I breathed in deeply and turned around to face that giant hole in the roof. A singular cloud passed by the sun slowly. I watched it go by, just admiring what I had just done.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the bathroom area.

"Watch out!", cried a young colt's voice, but it was far too late.

I had been struck by something blunt at the side of my head. Immediately my vision blurred, my eyes watering. My head hurt something fierce as I quickly turned around, slightly dizzy. Golden Jack was standing up, bleeding from his head and holding a baseball bat.

"...guess I need to work on my aim," I said snarkily.

"You just don't get it, do you?", Golden responded. "I am FAR more than these pathetic peons. I am a member of an elite kingdom," He held his head, and looked at the blood on his hand. "Nightshade, eh? You could have been a good asset to our kingdom, but you had to spoil that. His Majesty was actually going to look you up," Jack said, with an air of knowing.

"I don't serve any king or queen," I declared.

This was ridiculous...I couldn't find who tried to warn me. I know it came from that bathroom, though. Could they have perhaps kidnapped a colt? I shuddered, thinking about what terrible things they might've done to that poor boy.

"Enough, though, 'Mr. Crow'. It's time for your taxidermy appointment," said Jack as he rushed forward with blinding speed, knee-ing me in the stomach and sending me flying into a couch.

I then came to the realization that I actually knew nothing about Golden Jack. All of my research about him was wrong. Though he wasn't a unicorn, he lit a ring of fire around me and him just by waving his free arm into the air. He threw the bat at me before drawing his rapier and coming at me with it. I defended as best as I possibly could, but Jack was toying with me, laughing maniacally. He stabbed at non-vital areas in order to force me to open vital parts. I used my knife to my operational abilities, but he was now throwing fireballs from his sword.

I dodged upward, using my grappling hook to try to escape through the hole in the roof, but he suddenly appeared in front of me mid-flight and punched me in the face, sending me back into the ring of fire. My nose bleeding, it was all I could do to keep from screaming when I stood back up because Jack jumped on me, impaling my left shoulder with his sword.

He stood on top of me, his hooves on my arms. I couldn't do anything now...I was all out of ideas. I looked around the room as best as I could, but Jack just laughed, seeing my situation.

"Did I not tell you, Crow? I am of a HIGHER caliber than ANY of those fools! I am a knight of Grand Rein! You are simply a weak assassin meant to kill from behind. You could never defeat a pony like me! I am perfect! I am INVINCIBLE! I AM- what in Celestia's name...?"

He was cut off by the sound of a distant, almost soft boom. A rushing sound emanated from the skies, causing Jack to look up. The ground shook, causing him to slightly lose balance, but not enough to get off of me. As he looked at the skies, he shrieked as a sudden arc of bright rainbow shot across the heavens. It almost blinded me, too, but clearly someone took advantage of this situation, because I heard a sudden loud crack from nearby, and Jack yelling out in pain.

I shut my eyes tight and opened them quickly to see a small filly in biped form holding a broken pool cue. It was dripping with blood, and the girl looked up from it to Jack, who was livid. All three of us could hear nothing as the rainboom shot across the sky, but I could see that Jack was blinded still, and swinging around, bewildered. I looked at the filly, whom raised the broken pole again, tears of rage in her eyes, and swung again at his head. It hit squarely on his forehead, forcing him off of my body.

He stumbled onto the floor, causing the ring of fire to go out. The pink little filly rushed up to him, repeatedly smashing his skull in with the cue. I watched as the soundless, almost slow-motion event occurred in front of me. It was then that I realized that there was an aching, burning pain on my left. It was where Golden Jack stabbed me...but I hardly felt it as I watched this small girl literally start to smash Jack's brains out.

When the sound finally returned. I heard the distant noises of Manehattan, and the little filly's sounds of effort from trying to deal more damage to the corpse. I then came to the realization that it was her voice that came from the bathroom. I now felt bad for mistaking her for a colt.

I walked up to the girl, who immediately whipped right around and raised the cue at me, crying. I just stood there, watching her back slowly away, and end up at a wall. She leaned against it, obviously tired from what she had just done. I could now get a really good look at her. She was pink, and her mane and tail were a darker shade of it. Her brilliant blue eyes stared back at me in fear, tears overflowing from it. Her coat had dark places all over it, indicating bruises. I could see some cuts all over her body, too. Scars, deep wounds...and then what disturbed me the most was seeing some dried, caked blood in between her thighs. My thoughts from earlier came back to my head, from when I thought she was a colt, and it broke me.

"Hey-" I started, but she interrupted.

"Yo-you're not with-with them?" she half asked, half demanded.

I looked at her for a second, taking a deep breath. "No. I was hired to kill Jack-O-Lantern."

"So-so you really are the c-cr-crow?", she asked again, and lowered the cue slightly.

"Yes. That's what they call me. I'm a good guy," I said, trying to convince her that what I do isn't as bad as what they did. It seemed to work, because she dropped her weapon and stared at me for a while. When she talked again, she said it so quickly I almost jumped.

"I-I don't know where home is," she stammered, starting to cry again. "I don't have-have a ho", she started to cry harder, letting it all out.

Instinctually, I walked up to her and held her. This made her gasp at first, but then she buried her face into my shoulder...my left shoulder. I ignored the pain, though, as I let her cry for a good half hour. When she was done, I slowly let her go, and led her to one of the couches, stepping on the bodies I had made. It made me think about what I had done in front of this little girl, and I was slightly wracked with guilt. However, I then thought about what she had just done to Jack, and I didn't feel too bad afterward. Still...I had committed murder in front of this tiny, innocent filly.

She didn't seem to care at all as we sat together in silence on the couch. I noticed there was a water cooler near the back of the place, and I went to get her and I a drink. When I came back, we still sat there, not talking at all. She observed the entire area, as if hardly believing what had happened. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that she didn't have a cutie mark. That told me that she was extremely underage, probably just a year over five or six.

"I don't have a name.", the filly finally said.

"...how come?", I asked, literally dumbfounded, but knew she couldn't see my expression.

"I was taken from wherever I came from when I was a baby. That's all I know.", she said silently, looking at the hole in the roof.

From the angle we were at, we could see the first two arcs of the rainbow in the sky, fading away. It surprised me that she could speak so fluently at this age- and what's more, know that she was in a situation she wasn't meant to be in.

"...so you don't have a family," I half stated and asked, not really sure what I was thinking.

My thoughts were so rushed; I wanted to help this poor girl, but also wanted to report her as missing. If I did that, though, I'd be questioned, and if there were unicorn authorities, they'd use their magic to find out what had transpired here. Would she be in trouble, too, then? She technically committed a murder, too...but then I had another card to play.

I drew a deep breath, and asked the question that was on my mind. "Do you want to live with me? At least until we find your family...I promise you, I'll never hurt you or...touch you the way they did. I'm not a bad guy, I swear-"

"Do you swear on all of Equestria!?", the pink filly interrupted, looking daggers at me. It was almost funny, the way she was looking at me, as if she thought she could take me down. She had guts, I had to give her that.

"I swear on all of Equestria.", I repeated.

She took a minute before finally responding, "But I don't know who my family is."

"That's all right, we'll find them."

"And I don't have a name, either. What'll you call me? They always called me b-"

"I get it," I really didn't want to hear what they might've called her.

I thought long and hard, after examining her more. A singular name just popped in my head after a while.

"How does Little Rose sound?" I asked, removing my mask. I could tell she was shocked. She might have thought that the raven mask was my face or something.

"I, uh...sure, okay," she murmured.

All of a sudden, though, she just started to burst out laughing. She literally smiled one second, and then started laughing uncontrollably. This kept on going for at least five minutes, with her taking some breaks to catch her breath. For a second, I thought she might have lost her mind. I looked around, not sure exactly what was going on.

When she finally stopped, she looked up at me. "Is this...is this what 'happy' is?" she asked, starting to cry again.

I knew how she must have been feeling. I merely hugged her again, and she willingly returned it this time. We eventually left the place, back to my home.

It was the best decision I had ever made.