Hurt and Healing

Solar Flare an aged earth pony was taking his seat in his personal carriage and gave the order to make way to his home. While the carriage pulled away the pony relaxed his head after such a stressful day but he couldn't shake this feeling of uneasiness that sent goosebumps throughout his back as if he was forgetting about something. He then remembers what it is: his fountain pen.

It was not just any fountain pen it was a family heirloom passed down by his mother and by her mothers mother. The fountain pen was given by celestia herself after his ancestor had valiantly defended a small village by the everfree from a diamond dog slaver raid. In those times a fountain pen was something only a highly skilled blacksmith pony could make. It had a glossy black color and was decorated with the countries official insignia in gold and silver, the gold bearing Celestia's sun and the silver Luna's moon.

Immediately after remembering, he told the carriage pullers to change course and quickly head back to the hall. While on his way he still felt inexplicably worried thinking back on the events of a an hour ago he came to conclude that it was probably just his age, maybe his patience was just running thin with the newer generation of diplomats. "Ugh, I'm getting too damn old for this." he mused.

Upon arriving he told the carriage pullers to await him in the entrance and so they did. He walked up the steps of the immense building, down the main hall and passing the ancient relics on display when suddenly he began hearing voices coming from inside the main conference hall which he thought was strange because there wasn't supposed to be anyone there and as he got closer he could make out the voices better.

"Dark Cloak, you did a swell job handling the situation on your part you can expect your payment to arrive shortly"

Solar Flare stopped in his tracks standing up front to the entrance of the hall not believing what he just heard. "Payment? what payment?" he whispered to himself. His gut feeling telling him he should keep himself hidden he decided to obey it this time, upon getting closer to the door he slightly opens it just enough to peak inside and with his amber colored eyes he could see Dark Cloak with a scowl in his face, visibly angry speaking with Gunther.

"Believe me Gunther I am absolutely Livid if I could I would strangle you right here."

Solar Flare was taken aback from the young stallions words in all his years working with him he never saw him so furious! 'What is it that made him so angry? What payment was the griffon talking about? Were they working together and if so for what?' Solar Flare thought to himself.

"You know you can't do a damn thing to me, if you don't want that information leaking out to every equestrian newspaper, just imagine, from Appleloosa to New Manehattan the headline will be: Ambassador Black Cloak, Filly Fiddler caught red han-"

'Filly WHAT?!' Solar Flare let out a gasp as he thought about the revelation he just heard. Solar Flare was seething with anger as he looked in the direction of Dark Cloak 'Absolutely disgusting! How dare this THING commit such a monstrous act! When I report back i'm going to make sure myself he gets hanged!' his thoughts were filled with both anger and disappointment towards his future ex-colleague.

"I swear, you will receive your due in time FUCKER."

Solar Flare scoffed silently "No, it will be YOU who meets your demise you damn predator!" as Solar Flare continued to focus his attention to Gunther and Black Cloak and their conversation in hopes of more information.

"I own you for the time being, remember this when I ask for your services again, we are watching your every move and dont you dare talk about this to anypony."

Solar Flare was already fuming at Dark Cloak but when he heard Gunther threaten an equestrian citizen his angry thoughts were quick to target him as as well "Watch your tongue Griffonian or by Celestia my wrath will fall upon you as well."

The aged pony noticed the griffon face towards the door and walk towards his direction. He quickly scurried towards the opposite side of a nearby pillar making sure his hooves didn't make a sound so he could hide. He heard Gunther open the door and step out as his lion paws patted away from the entrance he suddenly stops looking back at the door. "I could have sworn I closed it before..." Gunther whispered to himself. Gunther looked at either end of the halls not able to see anyone at first glance but before he could continue to walk into the direction in which Solar Flare was he was suddenly called out by Dark Cloak.

"Will you continue to pester me with your presence Gunther?!" Dark Cloak bellowed. Dark Cloak was still in the process of gathering his belongings but the words of warning from the griffon still resounded clear and strong in his head. The griffon recoiled when he heard the unicorn pony yell at him and opting not to respond him he took last look towards the hall before he marched out of the building.

Solar Flare finally came out of hiding he faced the door where Dark Cloak was in. He needed answers but this gut feeling he had, something instinctual, something...primal was telling him to RUN and not look back but his need for answers overrode the need of survival and as he opened the door he saw that Dark Cloak was nowhere to be found. Deciding that for now at least he will search for the fountain pen he opts to simply go to where he last used it which was during the signing of the treaty. Upon heading to his side of the table he finds his pen on the table glistening from the moonlight that was being filtered through the stained glass windows giving the pen a kaleidoscope glow.

"What are you doing here?" Dark Cloak called out from the dark "What is it you seek Solar Flare?"

Solar Flare looks behind him and sees Dark Cloak emerge from the darkness his fur camouflaging him hell in the darkness. He was wearing the ceremonial suit he has during the conference complete with a beautiful ceremonial cutlass.

Solar Flare without taking his eyes off of him silently takes his pen and places it in his breast pocket while making the best fake smile he could muster from his years in the job, gives a few pats to where his pen is located and simply said "Forgot my fountain pen."

A silence permeates between them as Dark Cloak stares Solar Flare intently clutching his sword with one hand and scanning him with his eyes for any sign of him lying. Solar Flare begins to feel uneasy as it takes all his concentration to look clueless and innocent. All of this effort however was for naught.

"What is the real reason why your here Solar?" Dark Cloak was not amused something told him Solar Flare was lying.

Steeling himself Solar Flare finally confronts him, after all why should he continue to beat around the bush? "I heard everything Dark Cloak, do not think that you will escape easily from this you damn pervert."

"What makes you think you will come out of this alive?" asks Gunther as he walks in the room once more "Your transport was outside, I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of taking care of them for the time being."

With a worried face Solar Flare couldn't help but imagine the worst. "What did you do to them?"

With a mocking expression Gunther gunther pulls out a small empty vial and shakes it a bit "They're asleep, passed out during the job." gunther puts back the vial, his face changes to a serious one and looks at the aged pony like a predator looks at its prey before pouncing. "Perhaps, they killed Solar Flare to steal his belongings."

Dark Cloak and Solar Flare look at the griffon with shock. Dark Cloak picking up on what Gunther insinuated looks at Solar Flare and unsheathes his ceremonial sword.

As the sword is being unsheathed Solar Flare looks at Dark Cloak with a pleading look and with a shaky voice he pleads for his life "No, please, I have a family." he then takes a knee and while mentally dazed he feels a sense of hopelessness. With nopony in the area knowing of his plight and his advanced age working against him he would never be able to run or fight his way out.

"Any last words old stallion?" asks Dark cloak as he raises his sword above his head.

Sneakily taking out his fountain pen from his breast pocket and clutching it close to his chest he then thinks about his Wife, daughter and especially his granddaughter wherever she may be at the moment. 'I'm so sorry Sunset, my dear Sunset, please forgive this old stallion.' with a quick movement of his hands and all the force he could muster he lunges forward with his fountain pen pointing it at Dark Cloak.

"AARGH!! FUCKING OLD STALLION!"

Solar Flare reached his objective stabbing Dark Cloak in the stomach. He takes a step back looking at the young stallion grabbing the fountain pen and yank it out and throw the pen toward the conference table landing under it afterwards he seals his wound using his magic. Lowering his sword he uses his magic to pull the earth pony towards it but the old stallion resists trying to back away towards the opposite direction. Being pulled in slowly by his magic the old stallion tries his best to free himself, he tries walking backwards but the marble floors began to betray him as his hoofs slip from the surface. He stares at the sword glistening in the moonlight with dread, as it slowly gets closer and closer. The stallion looks at the face of his aggressor with frightened eyes he sees his face contorted in fury, his nose bleeding from the overuse of magic and snarling at him while his eyes were locked into the place where he wanted the sword to penetrate.

Solar Flare feels the sword give a light poke towards his stomach and immediately the adrenaline kicks in making him push back with even greater force but the strength of the much younger stallion proves his last efforts useless.

"N-NO PLEASE DON-GHA AGGHH AGGGHH" Solar Flare's strength vanishes as the sword slowly plunges into his stomach releasing blood that began to flow from the wound and his mouth. His legs continue to try uselessly to push back but with dwindling force and his fists bang on Dark Cloaks chest with not as nearly enough strength as he would have wanted "ple- ACK ont please" finally with his head upwards facing the decorated ceiling tears began to stream from his eyes and the eyes lost their lustre as he gave his last breath.

Immediately he stopped resisting and went limp with the sword still impaling him, the blood continued to flow from under him decorating the white marble with crimson red. Finally Dark Cloak pulls the sword from his abdomen being careful not to stain his suit and then proceeds to clean the blood from the blade with a handkerchief.

Gunther claps from his seat and with a smile looks at Dark Cloak "Could have finished much faster but oh well at least you finished the job. i'll give you a 7 out of 10 for this display" Gunther then proceeds to walk towards the exit but before he leaves, without turning around to see the murderer he speaks to him "You will be payed for this as well, please tell me, how do you like your fillies? trained or feisty?" Gunther chuckles for a brief moment before Dark Cloak responds as he stares at his handiwork.

"Feisty, now leave me be! I still have work to do."

Gunther starts to leave slightly disgusted from his answer. Without saying anything else he steps out of the room to leave the stallion clean the scene.

Canterlot Palace

3 days later

The funeral for the diplomat was grim to say the least. Solar Flare's wife Ruby Shine was distraught and inconsolable upon hearing the news the grief making her shut herself in the room they used to share. Amber Gem, his daughter, being accompanied by her husband fared no better and would sometimes join her mother in her grief. Upon hearing the news concerning her grandfather, Sunset Shimmer, broke down in grief and was engulfed in anger towards the captured aggressors. She immediately made her way through the portal to attend the funeral and meet with her family. Celestia and Luna attended the funeral not only because protocol demanded it but also to support Sunset Shimmer's family in their darkest hour.

2 days ago Celestia had received word from Twilight of a human currently hospitalized in Ponyville hospital but due to state affairs they were not able to meet up with him and because of the funeral they would have to postpone the meeting until the next day.