The next morning…

The light of Celestia’s shines in Rose room… and directly into her face. “Grrrr… Go away.” Rose tried to send the sun away, but sadly she wasn’t the alicorn of the sun. So, she was forced to lay in her bed and suffer the aftermath of a royal hungover. “Grrr.” She growled again, but then she accepts her fate and slowly raises out of the comfort of her bed.

She sat on the edge, before pushing herself off. Then she trotted to the kitchen. In their, Rose was shocked to see a stranger there. At first, she wanted to scream, but her dulled mind reminds her of the day and night before and instead of the scream she simple great. “Morning Mech. How did you sleep?” She rubs one hoof on her face. “Where did you even sleep?”

Mech simply worked on a machine on the shelf. “Don’t need much sleep. An hour is more than enough.” Due to the fact that his back was faced with her, he didn’t saw Rose’s face of pure horror and shock.

Before she could respond, Rune walked in. He had with him the cube and the train. “Morning Mom…Morning Mech…” he said sleepily while rubbing his eyes.

Rose was happy about this interruption. “Rune, how about you go outside and play in the front yard. In the meantime, I make breakfast…” before she could say more Rune already zipped outside. As soon as Rose heard a door being slammed shut she turned to Mech, how in regards had stepped back and allowed her to see what he had worked. “The coffee machine…” she said with open mouth.

Said machine makes rumbling sounds and show so that it works. Again, tears start to rise in her eyes, something she wasn’t used to. “How…and why?” she asks.

Mech simply pulls a mug out of the machine and offers it to her. She takes it and carefully takes a quick sip. The coffee was fresh and hot, but it even tasted better than ever before. She was literal in paradise until Mech spoke up. “You and Rune should accompany me on my way.”

That makes her spite some of the precious coffee. She coughs a few times, then she looks be-wildered at Mech. The unicorn simply looks at her, with his neutral face and his trench coat.

“Are…WHY...?” she asks in disbelieve. Mech continues to stare at her.

“You mention that life here isn’t was you want. You get exploited… in work power and sexual nature. You get shut out and down… So why staying?”

Rose stared at him. Then fury rose in her. “BECAUSE THE BUCKING BARON OF THIS DAMNED BARONY HAD IT FORBIDDEN. I TRY TO RUN AND HE WILL HUNT ME DOWN.” She walks towards him and points one hoof on his face. “And then he would murder me and Rune.” Tears now freely run down her face. “And it would be legal for him, as it would be marked as criminal on the run.”

Mech was neutral again, which agitate her. But he speaks up. “Then it’s set that you travel with me.”

Now the rage raises to a new level. She literal push her hoof in his face, it made contact his lips and nose. “Are you deaf or ignorant. His guards would hunt me down. AND KILL ME… If you would be with us, they would hurt or kill you too. “The rage fades out of her voice. “And I don’t want this.” She admits and looks down on the ground.

Suddenly Mech starts to shake. That catches her attention, as she feels that through the hoof in his face. Said stallion grabs the hoof and suddenly place a small kiss on it. She blushes, her face become hot. But as she looks into his face she was surprised to see something new.

Instead his neutral face, he now has a smile in it. His eyes sparkle and his voice have a new tone in it. “Your concerns are a nice touch, but uncalled.” He leans closer to her so that his snout was near her ear. “Because if the guards should be a threat to me, well… That would mean and need to be a threat to me.”

He retreats and stares back with his neutral glance. Rose now wanted to say something, but a scream from the outside cut her off.

… A few minutes before…

Rune had bolted past his mother and run through the door. Outside he decides to sit before the door. First because then his mother didn’t need to search for him again when breakfast is ready, secondly because his leg starts to hurt again, and so he sat at the front door, the train to his hooves. He placed the cube on the good wagon and was delighted that the cube perfectly fits and hold on it.

He moved the train around. “Chow chow, all abort.” He moved the train even more. “Arg, debris on the road.” He laughed and take the cube from the wagon. “Well until the tracks are clear time for the cube.” And with that, he started to play with the cube again. He was fascinated by the cube. He loved the challenge he offers, while was so simple. Giggling he turns and twisted all sides… for a moment everything was forgotten, he was happy in his own little world, free of pain in his legs and bullies.

But sadly, reality calls him back… inform a mocking voice. “Look o dear sister, a filthy peasant…” A shrill female voice answer. “Well dear brother. It’s even a cripple… How filthy”

Rune stopped in his tracks. He knew the voices and he hates the fillies which belong to the voices. But he holds his head down. “Maybe they will go away when I just don’t react.” He thought.

“Why aren’t you raise your head peasant? Do it now.” the shrill voice demands.

So, Rune looks up it to the faces of his tormentors. The unicorn twins Sapphire Tiara and Glorious Hoof the XXI, or how Rune calls them secretly in his head Shrill Tiara and Round Hoof.

He finds that his nicknames were better suited than their real names. Sapphire may a blue coat like a sapphire (and a sapphire as Cutiemark), but she was skinny and her voice was so shrill, that she could break a glass just through using her voice. Her brother on the other hoof was a different build. He may have a cutie mark with a horseshoe and swords in it, but he wasn’t a trained warrior… Not by far, as he wasn't well built. Instead, he was fat but so fat, that his belly was just a mere inch above the ground. Also, his stamina isn’t the best so he always sweats due to “heavy and stressful” activities like walking, sitting, breathing…

They both had nearly none, but one thing in common… they love to pick on Rune.

“Aha did your mommy tend your little wee-wees from yesterday?” Glorious taunted him.

Rune didn’t say a thing. And so Sapphire talks. “Did she kiss on them, with their greased lips after another day of low work in the burger shot?” Again, Rune was silent. It was getting harder and harder, but he remembers to remain silent. Partly because he couldn’t do a thing, partly because of the guards of the twins were just a few steps behind. Three guards, a pegasi stallion, a unicorn mare and an earth pony stallion, just look at the bullying and let it happen. Rune knows that they would hurt him at an order of the twins… and that they would like it much. “Had you heard that she asked for a day off… maybe she wanted to go into the red-light quarter, having a little fun… offering herself in the alleys for pennies.”

Now Rune snapped. “DON’T TALK BAD ABOUT MY MOTHER!” he jumped and pointed a hoof at her. A second later he regrets that as Righteous shoved him to the ground. He landed hard on his bottom.

“Mind your place you dirty cripple. You don’t speak so to nobles… What is that?” he stood up with his nose up until he spotted the cube toy. Sapphire simply grab it with her magic and levitates it to her.

“A cube?” she inspects it and soon found out that it could turn. “What in the name of Celestia is that?” She levitates in front of Runes face.

Rune tried to grasp it, but Glorious step on his bad leg. “MY SISTER ASKED YOU SOMETHING CRIPPLE!” he spat into Runes face, literal as some of his spite landed on Runes face.

“It’s a puzzle, but you two muttonheads are too stupid for it.” He returned the spiting, but more in a verbal face.

The twins were shocked then Glorious collects himself and punched Rune in the snout. He may lack the stamina for a real fight, but for bullying him he had infinite. “Don’t dare to spit on me… even less don’t talk back.” He seemingly wanted to throw another punch, but then he spotted the toy train. “What is that?” Didn’t we break this train yesterday?”.

Sapphire walked nearer and looked at the toy. “Well yes dear brother, we did. But this is a new one.” She changes her view and looks directly into Runes face. “Your mother is behind her bills, but has the money to buy nice toys for you?” She mockingly pats Rune. “Dear cripple, we said it yesterday. You don’t deserve nice toys.”

With that Glorious lift his foot off Rune and hovers it over the train, then he proceeds to crush it under his hoof. As soon as his hoof came in contact with the toy and then the ground, a loud SNAP sounded.

At first, Rune wanted to cry again, as the twins had bullied him and broke his toy again. But this time it was different.

Glorious rapidly stepped back, so quick that he stumbled and fall on his noble bottom. He holds the hoof he used for crushing and cry out in pain. Tears freely ran over his face and in an untypical manner he snobs and cry like a child. “Owh, owh, owh.” He cried out.

Sapphire jumped to his side. “O dear brother what is wrong… AHHHHHHHH.” She screams as she saw that his hoof was bleeding. She nearly faint as she saw the blood and turn her head away and violently vomit her breakfast.

The three guards were at first puzzled about the happing, then they were shocked, then they remembered their job (and the possible threat of their employer) and quickly came to a conclusion. Rune did something, so they will beat him within an inch of life, then grab his body and present him to their boss, who then decide about a suitable punishment.

So, the earth pony and the pegasi charged at Rune, while the unicorn mare rushed to Glorious and ready her magic to do some first aid.

Rune itself was terrified. The two guards charged at him, bloodlust in their eyes. He couldn’t scream, instead, he pulls his front hooves over his head and curls himself into a tight ball. He was vaguely aware, that the door of the house sprung open.

Neither Rune and the guards notice it. But Mech charged through the door and positions himself before Rune. The unicorn stood in a defensive stance and the charging guards swift their focus on him.

Rune looked at Mech, but before he could say a word his mother was beside him. The foal was shocked to see the knife his mother had in her hoof. Rose grabs Rune and pull him with her in, but not before she throws the knife.

The knife sailed through the air, past Mech and hits its mark. It douses in the shoulder of the earth pony guards and throwing him off a bit. This was a moment Mech used to strike.

He strikes out with his right hoof and the hoof made contact with the face of the wounded guard. For a moment he was stopped dead in his tracks, but Mech didn’t leave it but this one strike. Something at his hoof clicked and a loud bang emits. The guards shot away like getting hit with a cannon and fly directly into the unicorn guard, knocking her and the twins down hard.

The pegasi were shocked for a moment, then he charged with his spear at him. Mech simply stood still. The guards smirked and try to stab him. But before the spear tip could come near an inch to his face, Mech moved his other hoof. In it was the knife Rose had thrown. He had taken it out when he throws the earth pony back. Now he uses the knife and changed the course of the spear tip. The pegasi tried to slow down, but due to the use of his wings, he had too much momentum and so was forced to fly into him.

Mech had anticipated this. As soon as the pegasi were near him, he throws three quick right jabs. The first stopped him, the second knocked him out and the third was accompanied by another loud bang, sending him flying like his comrade. But unlike him, the pegasi was shot back with so much power he overshot the downed earth pony and fly across the street, where he crashed into a building.

The unicorn mare, who just pushed the earth pony off her just saw, how her fellow guard crashed into the building and rage build up in her. She faced the strange unicorn and rage filled her. “DIE.” She screams and shoots a blast of magic at him, intending to incinerate him on the spot. The magic blast shot over and hit him, making him vanish in a cloud of dust. Joy filled her, as she seemingly killed him.

But a sudden gust of wind blows the dust cloud and her heart dropped. The stranger still stood there holding his left hoof before his face. On the outstretched hoof was a strange circle of blue energy. It took her a moment to realize that this was a shield. She was awestruck, and so the stranger used this moment. He shot forward and hit her with the shield. Lots and lots of Volts jolted through her body, then everything became dark for her.

Sapphire and Glorious just stare at the stranger in his forging clothes. He single handed defeat the guards in mere moments and didn’t get hit once, he didn’t even sweat. The strange unicorn now stands near them and due to them and on the ground, he seems to be at last as tall as the towers of the Royal castle in Canterlot. “RUN.” He ordered in neutral voice, his face neutral, not giving a bit of emotional showcase, but Sapphire and Glorious didn’t wait to figure it out, instead they run/ stumbles away at high speed. The earth pony guard was the first to regain body control of the three. He grabs the mare and runs after the twins.

Mech stared at them for a moment, then he causal walks back to the house. On his way, he suddenly speaks to himself, but in a total strange language. The language sounds like the static of a broken radio. Any bystander, if there would be one, couldn’t understand what he had said, but it didn’t matter. Under his coat movements appear and things start to fly out of the coat, but as soon as they were a few inches away from him they cloak themselves.

Soon Mech had wandered into the house and closed the door behind him. In the hall where Rose, who had Rune cradle between her legs, both visible shaking. Both stare at Mech. “The plan, we had talked about before. Pack light and fast, in an hour we leave. "

Rose just stared at him, while Rune collects courage, as he can in the moment. “What happens now Mech?” he asks while looking at him. The red-coated foal was visible shacked and tightly holds the toy train and cube in his hooves. He grabbed them as if they are his anchor.

Mech steps near him and bows down so he looks directly into his eyes. “I talked with your mother, about how you and she should accompany on my way. She was against it, but now the facts behind it had changed. You both grab personal things you want to keep, leave the furniture here. In an hour we go.” He explains in his neutral voice and this made Rose snap out, but instead of yelling at him, she grabs Rune and pulls him to the rooms. Mech could he heard the shuffling of clothes and other things. “So, the fellow… Good” he thinks to himself.

….

At the same time on the other side of the village, the twins stumble into the mansion, they call home. It was the resident of Lord Glorious Hoof, Baron of Trendshot

They wasted no time and ran into their father’s room. Not wasting their time and energy, they push the door open, resulting in it crashing into the wall. “FATHER, FATHER.” Both cry in unison.

The unicorn inside the room turns in his chair and looks at them. He was older as the grey in the tips of his mane shows, his body shows sign of excessive training in material arts, causing his muscles to grown, but more in abstract forms. “My dear children…” his cheerful voice fade and was replaced by a shocked. “What happened to you?” he sat up and opens his hooves. The children run into his hug and bury their faces in his fur. There they weep without any control. The father just stared at his children. Then after a moment, his face twisted into a mask of hate. “GUARDS.” He bellows through the hall.

The two guards of the twins appear in the door. He looks at them and snarled at their untidy appearance. “WHAT HAPPENS TO MY BELOVED CHILDREN?” his questions didn’t leave any room for mercy. So, the earth pony and unicorn mare decide to make it quick and painless. “They had visited the kid of Rose Lily. He attacked Glorious Hoof in a cowardly manner when our guard was down. My lord, we are deeply sorry.” The mare explained and ended in a bow.

The Lord looked at his son and saw the blood on his hoof. His face gets filled with more rage. “HOW COULD IT HAPPENED?” Again, he demanded an answer.

Now the earth pony stallion speaks. “My Lord. Like my sister had said, the son of Rose Lily did it. The foal had abstract us and lured your son into false security, then at the right moment he attacks and inflict the damage. “he also bowed.

The noble stared for a moment longer at both, then his face undergoes a huge shift as the rage vanished and was replaced by concern for his children. “Well, we deal with that later. Right now, my children must take care of.”

Both guards soundless let their breath out, as the noble takes his children out of the room. Still, they remain there as the Lord didn’t relieve them. “Tonfa, what will happen now?”

The unicorn mare, named Tonfa looked at her brother. “Bludgeon… Well… That depends…” she begins to talks, but as the doors open again and the Lord walks in. He had taken his children away.

Now both guards saw the real face of the lord. “So how could a small crippled son of a whore hurt my son? And why are you only two, where is the third and overall, why are you so bucked up?” Glorious Hoof

“My Lord. The small crippled son of a whore only attacked Righteous Hoof. We were beaten by another pony.” Tonfa said.

Glorious leans towards the mare. She could see the bloodlust in his eyes. “Was it Rose? Did she do something, so that I can send her into the dungeon?”

“No, my lord. Some stranger, he attacked us, when we wanted to … punished the child.” Bludgeon said and so drives the attention to him.

The lord looks at him. “A stranger?” The rage had vanished and was replaced by curiosity.

“A stranger, how happened to be near, when you wanted to kill that worthless bastard?”

The earth pony nodded. “Yes, my Lord. But he came out of their house. Maybe he is a sellsword. But I wonder how Rose could afford a sellsword.”

Now the unicorn noble snorted in disgust. “Use your brain Bludgeon… was the only thing a whore has? She sells her body, whoring herself out.”

He starts to laugh about it, Bludgeon and Tonfa joined him. The sick laughter was cut short when a pegasi literal crash the party… the pegasi were the third guard of the twins and the one of was let behind.

Glorious Hoof stared at the broken window, through which the pegasi had flown, then at the pegasi. “Mace, why did you fly through the window?” Tonfa asked her other brother.

The visible up beaten pegasi just shrugged the last pieces of glass from him. “Time call for it.” He turns to his Lord and bows. “My Lord.”

The noble looked at him and notice the number of wounds on him. “Mace, I assume that the stranger, who was with the whore Rose and that bastard beat you up.”

Gulping the pegasi nodded. “Yes, My Lord. We may have suffered a defeat, but there is now a way to settle this thing.”

The Lord looked with interest in his eyes at the pegasi. “Awh and how?”

Mace start to grin. “I was left behind, so I could hear that the stranger talked to Rose. He ordered her to pack.”

Now Glorious leans towards him. “WHAT.”

“My Lord. The stranger said, they have an hour to pack, then he leaves and they will come with him.”

For a moment Glorious Hoof, Baron of Trendshot, was still and quiet… Something unsettling for the three beaten guards. Then he exploded into a lunatic laugh. It goes on for a minute. Then he stops and catches his breath, then he looks at the guards. “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR. GET ALL AVAILABLE GUARDS ASAP. THEY HIT MY CHILDREN, THEY HIT MY GUARDS, THOUGH DISRESPECTING MY AUTHORITY AND PERSON AND TO TOP IT THEY TRY TO RUN.” His face lit up with a very sickening grin. “That is enough… Rose will end up in dungeon, where she will die in vain. The bastard will die and the sellsword too.” The guards saluted, then they rushed through the door and Glorious can hear the sounds of his guards readying up. His heart starts to get warm. “Now you bitch will face the consequences of your betrayal.”

….

Rose was completely unaware of the madding lord. Her only thoughts circles around the oncoming escape.

She helps Rune which the few positions, he takes with him. (Besides the train and the cube, he only takes a few clothes and stuffed animals) After his packet was done, she did hers, while Rune said in the room, just staring at his cube. (The train was buried deep in his back). Her bag was easily packeted, as he only takes a few clothes with her as well as some jewelry she had inherited from her long-dead parents.

As soon as she had closed the saddle bag and swung on her, Mech appeared in the door. “You both have packet?” He quickly scanned both. “Good. Let’s move on.”

He walks out of the room and like under a spell Rose and Rune follows. Mech stops before the door out of the house and holds his hoof to them. In there lays two small pills. “Before we go. I recommend that we take these medicines. The blue is for Rune and the Red one for you Rose.”

Again, like under spell, both followed the order and take their assigned pills. One gulp and each pill were in. Mech looked at them and waited for the effect to step in.

Rune suddenly starts to yawn and closes his eyes. Only due to the quick reaction of Rose, who catches him, prevent him from hitting the floor hard. She didn’t yawn, instead, her head starts to clear up. “What did you do to us?” she raged at him, only to get faced again, by his neutral face.

“A wakeup calls for you and sleep pill for him.” He explains. She just stared at him the unspoken “WHY” all written over her face. So, he explains it more. “The guards are already here, so I have to fight the way out and Rune shouldn’t see it, as he is too young to understand. You are more mature, so you can see it without having a mental breakdown.”

Rose didn’t reply anything, still, she throws at him another evil glare, which gets ignored like the others before. Then she grabs Rune and places him on her back. After making sure, that he won’t fall off she turns to Mech and nodded. “Let’s go. I want to leave.”

Mech didn’t say a word but pushed the door open. A fresh gust of wind danced through his short mane and Rose’s mane. They walked in silence through the streets of Hoofshot to-wards the railroad station.

They walked in silence a few minutes, then Rose couldn’t stay quiet anymore. “where are the other ponies. It is so quiet.”

Mech didn’t reply at first but after a few seconds. “The civilians hiding in their houses.”

Then again silence until they reach the plaza before the railroad station. Mech put a hoof before Rose, stopping her. At first, she wanted to say a thing, but then she didn’t say. Instead, she stared at the plaza.

In the middle of the plaza stood the Baron of the Trendshot, the Lord Glorious Hoof. Rose stared at the Lord, disgust in her eyes. She didn’t spare a glance at the guards beside him.

The Lord stood in his battle armor. The armor was hoof crafted for his body. The chest plate was massive, as it was necessary as the massive body of the noble was so much bigger than a normal guard. He had his helmet in the magic grip so that his mane was free in the wind. His brown coat and black mane were a contrast, which some mares find attractive. The armor enhances that. It adores his body and not a few mares had thrown themselves at him, all in the hope that he would allow them to sleep with him. They thought it would be an honor for them.

Rose on the other hoof had been there more than once… She had hated it, in her eyes every mare who wished to bed the Lord of Trendshot is a bucking idiot. While every mare saw a glorious noble, all she could say is a corrupt noble Lord, who isn’t worth a single thing in life.

“Rose Lily, what do you think you are doing?” the Lord bellows over the place.

Rose tried to say a thing, but Mech intervene. “We leave.”

This simple sentence wasn’t what the noble Lord had anticipated, so he was a bit out of tack, but he quickly collects himself. “You… You damn … Do you have any idea what you do?”

“Be an escort for a mare and her son, both wishing to leave.” He simply stated.

Again, his simple sentence unhinges the Lord. Now a small vine appears on his forehead. “NO, THEY DON’T LEAVE.” He roars. “She and her son are criminals on the run, so they will come with my guards and face a court.”

Rose started to shake a bit, while Mech was unfazed by the declaration. The unicorn just looks at the noble. “What are the charges?”

Now Glorious Hoof and the guards beside him, stares in confusion, while Rose just stared with bewilderment at him. Glorious clears his throat before he continues. “Ehmm… The charges are attacking nobles, namely my children, the twins Righteous attacking guards and trying to flee. These are the charges for the child. Rose’s charges are the same, but in addition to them came whoring, stealing and plotting to gain control over the throne of the Barony.”

Rose shakes stronger and Mech comes to the conclusion, that it was because of rage and not fear. After a quick glance, he looks at the lord. “All charges are false. Rose hadn’t done anything you accuse her. Rune didn’t attack your twins, they attack him… and I attack the guards.”

Rose couldn’t believe it. Mech stood in front of the Lord, who accused him and her with charges and swore courts and all he did was acknowledge the charges. “Are you out of your mind?” she mutters to him. Mech simple ignores her remark.

Glorious just laughed. “Hehehe, good, that’s made this easy. Give up and hand yourself and both over.” He stretched his hoof out.

“No.” was the simple answer.

All ponies, the noble Lord, and his guards, as well as Rose, stared at him, then the Lord started to laugh, with his guards joining, while Rose just made a despaired sigh.

“Hehehe… you comedian, nice joke…” Glorious drops the friendly face and became cold. “Hand over now.”

“No.” was again the simple answer.

The vines on Glorious forehead grow. “I think you misunderstand the situation. Give up…NOW” he practical growls.

Mech was unfazed by his demand. “No, the only thing, that will happen is that Rose and Rune accompany me and we three go on the train and drive away.”

The Lord’s head start gets darker as blood rushes into his head, in addition, the vines had grown so much, that Rose wonders that they could burst and give him a stroke.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?” Glorious blares, spite came with the words out. “WHAT MADE YOU THINK THAT YOU COULD SIMPLE WALK OUT OF HERE? MY GUARDS, HAVE YOU ALL SURROUNDED?”

A movement in Mech’s trench coat and his hoof was raised to the house roofs to the left and right behind him. “Four unicorns on each site.” He pointed his hoof up. Rose followed it and spotted a number of low hanging clouds. “Six pegasi hiding at top of this clouds.”

Now the face of Glorious was drained from any color. The guards beside him didn’t look any better. Rose threw a quick glance at guards, which hiding place had revealed. She wasn’t able to make them completely out, but the glimpses she gets from manes, tails, and armors, and the fact that they seem to be frozen made it clear even they are shocked, that they were detected.

“BY CELESTIA THE ALICORN OF THE SUN… I’M LORD BARON GLORIOUS HOOF… YOU WILL BOW TO ME!!!!” he roared in a volume that is was a wonder that windows didn’t splitter.

“No.” Rose had anticipated this answer.

For a half minute everybody was frozen, then Lord Glorious Hoof lost it. “ATTACK.” He screamed.

At first, a moment of silence lingers in the air, then a whistle sounded and bodies moved. Roses had pulled Rune from her back and hugged him tightly, as she wanted to protect him.

But no attack came to them. Instead, she heard various screams and six loud THOOMS… six bodies hit hard the ground. She opens her eyes and couldn’t believe what she saw. Pegasi guards, the guards, who had hidden on the clouds about them simply lay on the ground. Their eyes are glassy and foam was in their mouth.

She stared for a moment before she was aware that her vision was a bit fuzzy. Frantically she looks around and gets aware, that she was encapsulated in a shield bubble. A soft hum was over her and she was shocked as she looked up. A construct hoovered over her, it resembled a flying flat disc, with two fins atop and a blue shine disc down under. Both fins emit blue particles and she realizes that the construct creates the bubble.

She looks back to Mech and was surprised. He just stood outside the bubble, unfazed by the world. He looks to her then, as if he assures himself, that she was protected, then his head turns forward. In that moment the unicorns at the roof jumped up, thus reveal themselves and their horns were light up light Hearth’s Warming Eve decoration. Then they shot serval magic blasts at him and then Rose vision was blocked through the cloud of dust, they caused.

“MECH.” She screamed trying to overcome the sound of blasts. To no avail, as the spells continue to rain on him. It goes on and on, until after a minute the rain of spells ceases. Then silence.

“No…No…No…” she said in a sad tone.

“There is no need for concern. The spells cast at him were insufficient, in order to cause harm.” The sudden appearance of a new voice startled her. Hectically she looked around, in order to find the speaker. As she looked left and right and fund no one, she looked up to the construct above her. She squeaks as she saw, that there was another construct, but this one was a horrid sight. It was literal a skull hoovering. It maybe was a skull of an unknown species, still, she couldn’t lose the feeling, that the skull once belongs to a living being. That was shocking enough, but the mechanical parts in it do their part in increasing the horror factor, especially the fighting glow of the eyes, this unholy glowing. It spoke again.

“What?” she as in a voice mixed with disgust and confusion.

The eyes sum for a moment and fluctuate in their shine, as the construct seemingly process her question. “There is no need for concern. The spells cast at him were insufficient. In order to cause harm, they needed to be more powerful.”

Rose tore her glance from the construct and look back at the “No…No…No…” she said in an unbelieving tone, as she couldn’t believe what she saw. Glorious Hoof couldn’t it either.

Mech stood there surrounded by holes, which were caused by the countless magical blasts cast at him. His whole posture was just like before … neutral. He doesn’t look like it did much to affect him.

“For Protocol. You threw the first strike.” Came from Mech invoice, as if he just made an entry in a protocol.” He had pulled his coat a bit back, revealing the underlying cloth. It was armor, but not like the armor guards wear. His armor was …to put it in simple … it was more. While guard armor only protects the chest, but leave many areas open, his armor had enclosed every inch of body. It has a dull grey color and many marks and scratches. Also, tools and bags and such hang on it. It was strange to see. Mech just raises his right hoof, showing a metal band. “Now, I’m allowed to attack.”

With that, he charged for forward and the entire scene gets lost in chaos.

The earth pony guards charged at him, while out of the corners of her eyes, Rose could see the unicorns start to charge their horns, in order to fire the next badge of spells. But suddenly she gets aware of something shocking. Near the unicorns, more constructs like the one above here appear, but they had parts under them, glowing in a blue shine. They fired that at the unicorns, moments before they could fire their spells.

Their cries of pain were loud enough so that every pony could hear their agony. That disturbs the concentration of the earth ponies guards… and that cost their victory. They dropped their guards and Mech used that to every bit of advantage. He deflects the spears and throws out punches, which throw them several feet back. He plows through them until he was before Glorious hoof.

The Lord pulled a sword of a sheath on his back and grabbed in magical grip. He swings it in a vertical slash from about, but Mech brought his right hoof up like he had done it with his left. Rose expected a shield, but to her surprise, a blade appeared. It clashes against the sword of Glorious and Mech pushes against it.

Glorious Hoof had the eyes wide open, mostly due to shock. The unicorn stranger just single-handedly defeated the guards. He had brushed the attacks effortless, gone through the lines like a hot knife through butter and to Glorious Hoof’s horror the stranger was able to hold up against him… HIM Lord Baron of Trendshot. Rage filled his veins and he puts more efforts into his blade. “YOU…You dare to cross your blade with me? ME? Lord Glorious Hoof the XX., Baron of Trendshot? I’m descendent of Glorious Hoof I. He fought in the Land wars before the royal sister defeated the Lord of chaos. He had earned these lands, as he defeated the pillaging warlords and bandits.” He puts more force in his sword. “WITH this very sword… Righteous Cause. He defeated numerous bandits, monster…even dragons had tasted this very sword. How could you think that you stand a chance against me?” He spat out the last part.

Mech just stared at him. “You mishandle your subjects. You allow your children to bully and hurt a crippled child. You ordered doctors to betray their oaths and withhold medical treatments for the child. You ruined a mare’s future.” He calmly stated, not giving any evidence that he was under pressure.

Now black miasma slowly creeps around the noble Lord’s horn. “AND WHAT ABOUT? SHE is a peasant, a dirty earth pony. I take her in and give her a decent job. So instead of crawling on the earth, she could do something useful… And that she pleased me in any way. I’M THE LORD. EVERYPONY IS MY THING TO ORDER AROUND. ONLY CELES-TIA IS ABOVE ME, in my lands. I make the laws and I hereby order you her and the bastard of her to death.”

This declaration would have shocked Rose if she hadn’t known it for a long time. Mech just released a breath. Then something happened so fast, Rose knew if she had blinked she had missed it. But she hadn’t blink and so she saw it.

Mech’s blade was suddenly surrounded by a blue energy field… and cut right through the blade of Glorious. As soon as the blade had cut the sword, Mech throws a hard left, hitting him in the face and base of his horn. This shortcuts his magic and made glorious dizzy. The noble Lord was now helpless and so, Mech grabbed him. Out of nowhere a long arm like con-struct with claw-like fingers appeared and grab him by the throat. Mech then pulled the Lord near. As he was mere inches before the blue-coated unicorn puts the still humming blade under his chin.

The scene happens so fast no pony could react and so the guards couldn’t do a thing. That and mostly due to the fact as they saw construct, which holds their Lord. The construct came from Mech, in fact, the construct came from his back, where the wings are if he would be a pegasus… or an alicorn, Rose thought.

“Listen to Lord Glorious Hoof… Your title means nothing to me… Your guards are no threat to me… Your weapons are nothing against my weapons… Your claims are nothing against me… And the only royal I follow is the princess, who had taken my oath…” He pushes the blade an inch nearer to Glorious throat and the altering of the sword touch the coat, which starts to burn away. “I go and take Rose Lily and her son with me. Follow us, hunt us down and you will die, your children will die, your guards will die… I’ll come back with my brothers in arms and then we will turn your entire existence into oblivion. “This threat was spoken in his neutral voice… somehow the lack of rage or emotions, in general, made it even more frightening.

The construct throws Glorious into the guards behind him, throwing them all to the ground. The tangling mess of hooves forgotten Mech turns around and walk towards Rose.

“DIE!” a threefold battle cry came from behind.

“MECH!” Rose screamed and pointed her hoof.

The three guards of the twins, the unicorn Tonfa, the pegasi Mace and the earth pony Bludgeon race towards him, weapons drawn.

Mech only turned half around. The construct which had grabbed the lord morphed into a cannonlike tool and aimed at the charging Bludgeon. Another construct like the first appeared from his back and aimed at Mace. Instead of claws, it has a similar tool like the constructs, who had taken the unicorn guards out. A bright light came, then thunder like sound was to be heard. Then a smell mixed with ozone and charred flesh was to be smelled.

Every pony, including Rose and Glorious Hoof, was filled to the brim with shock and pure terror. Because all saw what Mech did to both Mace and Bludgeon. The earth pony was hit by a metal project near the shoulder. Whatever the projectile was it had torn through spells and the armor and ripped his head off, as well as his left front hoof and parts of his torso. The remnants had hit Tonfa, bathed in innards, blood, and gore and at last thrown her to the ground. But the most horrific thing had happened to Mace.

His entire head, neck, and part of upper torso with one of the wings were … gone. Simply vaporized. Whatever Mech had shot at him, it had incinerated that all and the edge of the wound was simple cauterized.

It was an absolute bloodbath, shocking each and every pony deep into the core. Mech looked at the guards. Both constructs on his back pointed in the direction of the guards. “Drop your weapons.” He ordered.

At first, no one moved. A clack from one construct and a starting him from the other pulled them out of the shock. “Drop your weapons.” He ordered again. This time no one waisted a second. As soon as the last syllable left Mech’s mouth, the guards throw their weapons as far away as they could and back up several feet.

Mech stared at them for a moment, then he turns around and walks towards Rose, still his constructs points at the guards. As soon as he was near her the shield construct zipped and the bubble disappeared, then it floats near Mech and vanished beneath the trench coat. The floating skull construct did the same thing. “Let’s go.” He offers his hoof to her, which she accepted. He pulled her up and helped her to adjust Rune at her back.

Then they walked over the plaza past the terrified guards, the Lord, who was still cold out. As they were on the edge, a cry sounded. Tonfa apparently was awake and saw the remnant of her brothers. “I WILL KILL YOU. I WILL KILL YOU. YOU AND ROSE AND RUNE. YOU ALL WILL BURN IN TARTERUS…” then Rose and Mech were too far away that they couldn’t hear the rest.

As if the universe was afraid of him, a train comes in. “Our train.” Was all he said before they boarded it. Mech guided her to a window seat in the third wagon. There she places Rune in the seat near the window, while she sits down in the one next to it. Mech places himself in the one opposite of them.

The train waited for a moment, then with a ruck, the train started to drive on and leave the station of Hoofshot. As the landscape start to fly past them, the silence between them was like a heavy blanket, only from time to time a soft snort of Rune disturbs it.

At first Rose switched between looking at Rune and the landscape outside. Then she looks at Mech, who stared again in trance at a point between her head and the wagon roof.

It goes on for a while until Mech suddenly spoke up. “You have any questions?” Of cause in his neutral tone.

So, after she saw him literal murder ponies and treat them in this tone, she snapped now. She jumped up, pulled her knife and hold it against his throat. “WHAT ARE YOU?” she asks him.

Mech didn’t show any sign of being intimidated. He puts a hoof on her chest and carefully, very carefully pushes her back into her seat. “No threat to you or Rune. They were thrash, a corruption like a bug in the system or a tumor in a body… I’m allowed to clean out these things.” Rose really start to wonder if Mech can only speak in this tone.

“Aha. And the things floating back there, the things on your back, how do you even know to fight?” She waved her hoof with the knife in it around.

“Drones. I have ones for attack and defense. The skull drone is a messenger. The “things” on my back are called bionics. They are like wings of a pegasus, but instead of flying they act like additional limbs, with tools and weapons in it. “He leans forward so he can whisper in her ear. “For the last questions… for now, let’s say… you train guards to fight, but sometimes you create weapons in many forms…”

Rose sack back into her seat. She puts the knife away and hugged the sleeping form of Rune. " Why us and where are we going.”

“You both have something on you… it fascinates me… I want to understand it.” Mech sat back into his seat too. “For the where. Canterlot… the princess is there. My brothers are also heading there.”

Now Rose raises her head and an eyebrow. “Princess…You have brothers?” she asks in disbelief.

Mech nodded. “Brothers in blood, honor, and oath."

Rose stared at him with open gaping mouth. “OOOOOOKKKKKKAAAAAAYYYY.” She said, but stretches the okay pretty far, as she couldn’t really imagine this.

“Which princess by the way.” She asks after a moment, seemingly trying to change the theme.

Instead of saying Mech just pulled his coat back to reveal a shoulder guard and the motive for it. It was a six-pointed sparkle, which was surrounded by 5 different sparkles. Rose couldn’t tell where she had seen it before.

“Huh… So you hadn’t taken the Bit from the royal sisters. Neither the princess of the crystal empire… But where I have seen it before?” Rose loudly thinks.

“Does the name Twilight Sparkle rings something?” Mech said after she finished her thinking.

Now a lightbulb appears over Rose’s head. “Right the princess of friendship… But how can you wear here cutie mark as marking? There had been a declaration from the Royal Sister, saying she died last year.”

Now Mech surprised her by showing something else then his neutral glance. He was smiling and Rose couldn’t decide if the fact, that he can show emotions shocks her or the fact that the smiles look unnatural, as he doesn’t know how a smile normally looks like. “Rose, I can tell you the messages of her demise are… exaggerated.”

Author's Note

So more story. This was the entry for a new OC... Mech...

So he is mostly inspired by Warhammer 40k (hint Floating Skull hint end).

Was fun to write, still costed me a while... RL really sometimes kills everything off.

Still hope you all have fun and leave a comment