The Night Shroud

"So that's where you're from!" Pinkie Pie says, taking a break from stuffing her mouth full of pink cupcates with blue frosting. "Now that I think about it, you do look like somepony from Manehattan! Say, have you ever been inside the Statue of Friendship? I've heard some spoooky rumors about it!" I nod, taking a bite out of a chocolate banana muffin. She knows how much i love these things, and while those aren't her favorite, she offered to make them just for me. What a sweetheart.

"Yep, I've been inside the statue, like a dozen times." I lie, savoring the banana taste in my mouth. Mare, those are to die for. And maybe somepony will. It's been a week since I moved into Ponyville, and its rustic charm has been getting to me. I've been feeling so lazy lately, so much so, I haven't added any new names to my journal! Not that I have a schedule for this sort of thing, it's just the faster I begin, the sooner I'll be done with it. Pinkie Pie lights up at my answer.

"Oooohh, can you tell me what's inside? Please, pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?!" She leans over the table until our noses are inches apart. I flinch at the sudden closeness and move back a little. Not an unexpected turn of events, one of the first thing I've learned upon arrival is that around Pinkie, personal space was a non-existent concept. I was more embarrased than startled, how did she take me by surprise? Usually I'm the one who surprises ponies. Shouldn't have put my guard down. She sees my reaction and backs down.

"Sure, I'll tell you" I scratch my chin. Now's the time to test a silly little thing. I look around, lean closer an whisper conspiratorilly. "if you can keep it a secret." Suddenly, she looks very serious.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." I raise an eyebrow at that. I remember that saying a little differently.

"I take it that's a yes?"

"It's a Pinkie Promise, silly!" She says with a grin."Nopony can ever break it!" Her smile drops faster than a wonderbolt performing a corkscrew dive. "Nopony." She looks at me with a frightening amount of determination in her eyes.

"Hmmm, alright I'll tell you. But I'm trusting you here." I lean closer and whisper into her ear. "At the heart of the statue, is a ball of cotton candy hung up by chains, I've seen it with my own eyes. They only let the Royalty in though." Her eyes widened.

"But how did you get inside? Did the princesses let you in?!" Hook, line and sinker. I smile slyly before replying.

"I snuck in." Her jaw drops to the table and she stuffs another sweet into her mouth before closing it.

"Your secret is safe with me." She says, zipping her mouth and throwing the imaginary key out the nearby window. I hear a metal ting, as well as the sound of a very disstressed cat. I don't even bother rationalising it. I nod, and hear the jingle of a bell, indicating a new customer has entered Sugarcube Corner. She turns her head at a wierd angle, and slides me a bag of ground coffee beans. "Sorry, gotta go! Hope you enjoyed your stay!" And now we wait. If the guards don't come knocking at my door in a week or so, then the so-called 'Pinkie promise' isn't bullshit.

And If they do?

I heard Appleloosa's lovely this time of year.

I hum in aggreement and grab my order. I've grown accustomed to starting my day with a cup of coffee, gives that extra oomph in the morning that carries me through the day. Something I've really needed the past week. Despite not making any nightly visits, or any visits in general, I've been feeling pretty beat. Despite the fact I've had pretty much no luggage on me, apart the saddlebags, my daily clothes and a bag of bits, moving in is a pain in the rump! The house was pretty cheap, which worried me a little. It cost me a little over a month's worth of rent back at Las Pegasus. To be fair, rent there was quite high, even for the shithole I was staying at. 500 bits a month and for what? Leaky pipes, no air conditioning and walls as thin as a leaf. That last part was the worst.

Still, the mayor assured me that proximity to the local forest lowered the price, and not the condition of the cottage. I was a bit skeptical at first, but a quick talk with the locals confirmed that they are, indeed, scared of the forest. As to why they are scared? Get this, because "the weather is not controlled by pegasi" and "the animals tend to themselves". You mean just like any other forest out there? Unbelievable. I get up and exit the building, mentally making a note to ask Pinkie the recipe.

My thoughts return to our conversation. It wasn't a complete lie, I did visit Manehatten about a year ago, and I was inside the Statue of Friendship. By the time I left though, it wasn't cotton candy that was hung up by chains, that's for sure. I smile at the warm memories. That particular one was in the papers for months! My smile fades as I remember Golden Glow. I shake my head. No, not thinking about that failure. It's no use thinking about something I can't fix! Think about something I can. For example, the killer of a headache I've been getting. I still need to buy a bed, and maybe some other furniture. Maybe I'll just get a sofa large enough for sleeping.

Heading to the local furniture store I remember that things do, in fact, cost money! Money I might not have. I levitate the bag of bits out of my pocket and open it. To my surprise, quite a hefty sum remains, maybe hefty enough for a trip to the market later. Still, 200 bits isn't exactly a fortune. As for the origins of the money... Stealing is such a harsh word for describing what I did at Golden's house... Harsh, but accurate.

Walking through Ponyville is so much different from the big cities, so free, so refreshing! No more rubbing shoulders with passerby, no more checking for pickpocketers... No more blending in with the crowd. Can't win them all, I suppose. I stop in front of the furniture store, Quills and Sofas. What an odd combo. I enter the establishment and hear a ding above my head. A stallion with an light-amber coat and a brown mane is leaning on the counter, seemingly counting his proceedes for the day. His ears perk up when he notices me, quickly closing the cash register.

"Welcome to Quills and Sofas, my name is Davenport, how can I help you?" He smiles and looks at me, his gaze lingering on the light-gray coat I'm wearing. I study him from his pistachio colored eyes and neatly styled mane, to his cutiemark depicticng, quite amusingly, a feather and a chair. His formal looking shirt, combined with his overall appearance gives me an impression of a very business-oriented and level-headed pony.

"Are you looking for something specific, or just browsing?" He doesen't look athletic per se, but he isn't tons of fun either. His posture, combined with the way he handles himself gives him away as a salespony. "Uh, sir? Are you alright?" I look away from his body to his muzzle, and see it wearing a worried expression. It seems I have stared a little longer than was socially acceptable. Again. Whoopsie-daisy.

"Ahem, sorry for that, I have a nasty tendency to daydream. I am, in fact, looking for something specific. A sofa, to be exact." A warm smile graces his features and he ushers me deeper into the establishment.

"Ah, yes, our namesake! We have a wide variety of materials, from jacquard" He motions to the sofa to my right. 250 bits, ouch. "to silk!" He motions to the one on my left. I don't bother looking at the price. "If something catches your eye, just tell me!"

"Oh, I know what'll catch my eye. Something within..." Let's test my luck. "a 100 bits price range." He furrows his brows, and scratches his chin. I hope I don't have to haggle-

"I think I've got a sofa that's right for you!" What. He's giving up so soon? No, of course he isn't. He probably has a raggedy one that's been here for generations. Shouldn't get my hopes up just yet.

No way. There's no way in Tartarus I've got such a good deal out of the guy. 120 bits (including delivery) for a decent looking couch, that's practically a steal! Such a steal, that I just had to ask something.

"So, whose body do I have to dig out of this one?"

Judging by his shocked expression, he is less than amused. Nevertheless, after assuring him that it was a joke, "you've got a weird sense of humor!", I've managed to seal this steal of a deal. I've still got no idea whether this fella is altruistic, stupid, or somewhere in between. I refuse to believe he made a profit on that sale. I wonder if I should add this Davenport fella to a whitelist. Davenport... What kind of name is that? Then again, I'm one to talk...

Anyhow, the sofa will be delivered this evening, and in the meantime I need to do something. Given my unexpected surplus of funds and my need for sustenance, I decide to hit the local marketplace. As I make my way to a street filled to the brim with various tents and stands, I notice the amount of odd looks I've been getting. What's going on? Could they have recognised me from one of my articles? Unlikely. I did take photos, but my face and body were thoroughly concealed, not a strand of fur peeking through.

Did I do something during my stay here to attract attention? I doubt it. I was mostly busy with the local mayor, filling out paperwork, signing signatures and most irratatingly, completing a survey. "Ponyville resident information survey." That was the most boring and, at the same time, most infuriating hour of my life. Why in the name of the Sun do you need to know which side do I prefer to sleep on? My working theory is that the whole test is some sort of cipher, and based on the answers they decide what caste you belong to. Or maybe I'm being paranoid.

My last guess, is that the attention I'm getting has something to do with the outfit I'm wearing. Ponies, especially in small towns like this one don't wear a lot of clothes. I'd happily follow this unspoken rule, but the thing is, for some ungodly reason, when I go out in public without any sort of cover I feel... exposed. I've no idea where I got this little quirk of mine, and I'm not planning to go to a shrink to find out. Of course, that would be a problem if I was trying to stalk somepony while wearing layers of clothing.

Emphasis on 'would'.

I quickly found a workaround for this problem. Impersonating somepony else seemed to do the job quite well, so well, that I created Witty Note! He's been plenty helpful these past few years, both in concealing my identity, and helping me get out in public without looking like a wierdo. I'd wake up and become Witty Note, and at the end of the day, in the privacy of my own house, he would disappear. He never went on gigs though, that right was mine and mine only. Me and Witty did a lot of great things together.

And we'll do so much more.

Still, if I wanted to stay here awhile, I couldn't just disquise myself every time I left home. It was very draining, nevermind painful. I also couldn't go out naked, so I found a middle-ground. An ashy jacket that covered most of my body, leaving anything below my knees exposed. It wasn't as protective as the usual shroud I employed on my night outings, but it did the job well enough.

Shrugging off the wierd looks I approach a stand selling carrots, from the looks of things. A mare with a pale yellow coat and and a ginger mane was staffing the shop, she smiled as she saw me approaching. I look over her wares and notice something that makes my heart skip right there and then. No! Appearances must be maintained! Plus, I don't want her to overprice it. I wear an indifferent expression on my face as I look over her other wares.

"How much for a carrot?" I ask, desperatly trying not to look at the bottle.

"2 bits per carrot." She says with a smile.

"I'll take 5, please." She nods and begins preparing my order. "Say, is that bottle of carrot juice for sale?" She chuckles.

"Of course it is, mister-" She stumbles, waiting for me to answer.

"Note. Witty Note." She puts a bundle of carrots on the counter, and extends her hoof.

"Carrot Top," Huh, fitting name. I shake it with a smile. "always good to see a new face around here, hope Ponville's treating you well!" I chuckle.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. And yes, the town's been quite nice!" I put the carrots in my saddlebags. "Now, what about that carrot juice?"

She perks up. "Ah, yes, it's 12 bits per bottle, and you can order a crate of 10 bottles each week." The second option is a bit pricey, but I can definently afford a bottle from time to time.

"I think i'll just buy one for now." She nods, and puts the bottle on the counter. I levitate a dozen of bits her way, and she puts them away.

"No problem, the option's always there. Enjoy your drink!" She waves at me as I take the bottle with my magic and move to the edge of the street.

I open the bottle and let the sweet aroma of freshly squeezed carrot juice fill my nostrils. A single drop of sweet ambrosia enters my mouth.

"Flurry, stop!" Is all I hear before the bottle and I are engulfed in a golden aura. A foal flies past me, an array of things levitating in her wake. I watch in horror as the bottle tilts and spills its contents on the ground. Whoever's foalsitter, they've just signed their death sertificate. A purple alicorn with a violet mane flies past me, following the foal and pleading for it to come back.

"sigh At least i know who's the foalsitter is." It's at this point i notice the fact that i'm moving. Just like the rest of the things engulfed in the golden aura.

I hate being carried like that.

I fly past the Sugarcube Corner, and notice a couple of ponies being in the same predicament I am. Hey, I'm pretty sure that's Carrot Top right there! Alright, time to get myself out of this mess. I concentrate on overpowering the yellow aura with my own. It feels... wierd. Like i'm trying to push a mountain out of the way. I channel all the magic I have into the spell, yet the aura doesen't even flicker. Before I begin pondering infanticide, a purple aura overtakes the golden one, and I'm gently lowered onto the ground. A purple alicorn rushes past me with a quick sorry, carrying the purpetraiting foal in her magic.

I take a breather and shake my head. What's wrong with parents these days... Letting their little alicorn fillies running around- Wait.

An alicorn filly? Do these even exist? Nevermind, I should get going before a manticore decides to munch on the locals or something. Marching down the dirt road in the general direction of my humble abode I can't help but think. First thing's first, I need a job. The local gazette's hiring, and even though the pay's probably lower than I've come to expect, the prices around here are a far cry from those in Manehattan or Las Pegasus.

On the opposite side of the road, sitting on a bench I see a pair of earth ponies chatting. One of them has a pale yellow coat and a raspberry mane, as well as a rose for a cutiemark. Her friend has with a grayish raspberry coat, light amber mane with pale amber highlights, and a cutie mark of three lilies. I'll call them... Rose and Lily, not very creative but it is a WIP. As I walk past them, I make sure a carrot falls out of my saddlebag. I walk all of five steps when I hear a mare's voice call out to me.

"Hey, stop, you dropped your carrot!" Bingo. I turn around and see Rose trotting towards me, carrot in her hoof. I fake surprise, and walk towards her.

"Oh my! How could I have lost that?!" I she hoofs me the lost vegetable, and I put it away into my saddlebag. "Thank you miss..."

"Rose." 1/2, nice. "And no need to thank me, it's what any good pony would do!" She says with a soft smile. "Besides, it was my friend Lily who noticed your loss!" I'm on a roll!

"Well," I chuckle, "thank your friend for me, Rose." I say and turn around. "See you later, Rose." There's a pause before she replies.

"Uh, sure, see you later too mister!" I walk of her line of sight and look around. It's not that late, but the sun already began setting down. For a mid-august evening the streets are surprisingly empty. I steady my breathing and crouch behind the tree. Peeking out of my cover, i notice that the two ponies are very invested in whatever they're talking about, and pay very little attention to their surroundings. I creep from one tree to another until i'm close enough to hear their conversation.

"For the umpteenth time, Lily it's Hypéricum perforátum, not Hypéricum perforátus!" Rosa argues, pointing at something on the bench. I peek high enough to see that the object is, in fact a small book, opened on a page depicting a plant with small yellow flowers. The other mare huffs.

"But my friend from Canterlot's Medical said it's pronounced perforátus! And doctors study old ponish, remember?" I presume that Rosa rolls her eyes, although i can't exactly see it from this angle.

"Was it Scarlet Cross? The same stallion who had to retake the old ponish exam twice?" Her ears twitch and perk up all of a sudden, and i quickly hide behind the tree. Better safe than sorry.

"You know he's a good doctor, he just has problems with languages! I'll have you know that he's graduated the top of his-" He friend replies, stopping mid-sentence. "Rose, is everything okay? Did you see something?" She says in a concerned voice.

"I- i don't know." Her friend replies in a hushed voice. "I don't think so, it's just... I've got goose bumps all of a sudden." She paused and looked around. Probably. I'm not psychic. "M-maybe we should go home." I could actually hear her gulp.

"O-okay, it's late anyways..." They get up from the bench and begin trotting away. I make sure to wait for the hoofsteps to move a bit from my hiding location, before trailing after the pair. Following the two through the dimly lit streets of Ponyville, i notice something peculear. While Lily's mainly focused on comeforting her friend, Rosa's constantly on the lookout. Fascinatingly, her gaze often drifts close to my cover, and although i'm fast enough to hide before she notices me, it happens far too many times to call it a coincidense. I've met ponies like her before, the kind that simply know when they're being watched. They're trickier to follow for sure, but the pay off is far more satisfying. In my experience, they always get paranoid, to the point of drifting their friends and loved ones away, making them easy pickings.

And their face when I confirm that they weren't paranoid for nothing?

Priceless.

Soon enough we approach a closed flower shop, before I begin to wonder why the've decided to come here, Lily pulls a key from inside one of the potted plants near the door and opens it. Putting the key back into the pot, she reassures her friend that everything's fine, and says her goodbyes and closes the door, but not before lovingly pecking Rose on the cheek. So they're in a relationship? Such good material for a story!

Surprisingly, Lily lives quite's the way away from her fillyfriend's house, so it takes me an additional half an hour of careful and prescise stalking before we get to her abode. Her house is not unlike the other buildings i've seen her, although it resides on the outskirts of this town. Ten minutes away from my house, actually. I shake my head in dissapointment as she picks up a key from underneath a particularly creaky board on her porch, opens the door, and enters her house.

I make sure nopony's watching and make my way to my house, just in time to meet a very tired looking group of delivery ponies.

Well, this evening sure been productive. The sofa is actually quite soft, and very comfortable to lay on. Definently beats the recliner i had back in Las Pegasus. I sip on a glass of water and levitate my favourite journal i always keep away from prying eyes. It's a small miracle that this house has a basement, especially one with a big ol' padlock. I still think its a good idea to cast a perception filter on the door, even a low level one... Later. I'll do it later. For now, I make myself comfortable couch and open the journal. Sifting through the myriad of filled pages fills me with warm memories, and i soon enough i find an empty page. I reprimand myself for chewing on a expensive-looking iron pen that i've yanked some time ago from a particularly snobbish pony, i levitate it closer to the paper's creamy surface i begin my work.

Rosa, appr. age 23. Place of residence:"Le fleuriste de Rosa" flower shop. Wary of observation. Possible love interest: Lily...