Lethal Misconceptions

Perspective: Star Shine

The interior of the apartment was misleading by the decrepit outside of the house. The walls were new as well as the floor, the kitchen, and the living room. I eyed a piano in awe before asking once more. "You live here?" Shift looked at me from the kitchen as he withdrew a bottle from a cabinet. "Not necessarily, I stay here while I work in the area." I looked around curiously before asking my next question. "What do you do?" He uncorked the bottle and took a small swig before answering. "I do a little of this and a little of that, primarily odd jobs that people need done." He shrugged as he worked the cork back into place and walked to a map on the wall. He eyed it thoroughly before placing tacks on two locations. "What are you doing Shift?" He lifted a magazine and retired to a chair in the corner before acknowledging the inquiry. "I'm looking to buy a home in either Ponyville or Detrot. Why do you ask?" I looked at the map before turning to him. He's going to leave me, no!

"Those are pretty far away... how would you get there?" I don't let the sadness I'm feeling show. He looked up from the magazine for a moment. "First, you mean how are We going to get there, and secondly We are going by chariot." I stared in disbelief before I jumped at him, throwing my hooves and pulling him into a deep hug. He's not leaving me, YAY.

After a tour of most of the house we approached the last room. "And here's where you will be sleeping." I looked to a very large bed in a corner with a nightstand beside it. I enthusiastically dashed for it and jumped on it a few times, giggling while I do so earning a small chuckle from him as I continued. I looked around for another room but found nothing. "Where will you be sleeping Shift?" He turned to face me as he was leaving the room. "I'll be sleeping on the chair in the living room, why?" I looked to the bed beneath me before admitting it. "I'm... afraid of the dark and when I'm alone I feel as though I can't breathe." I looked up to see him walking towards the bed; he sat down and drew me near. "You want me to bring the chair up here?" I nodded, still looking into the sheets that made the bed. "Alright I'll be back in a few moments." He left the room, sighing as he went. I examined the room more closely, specifically the photograph on the nightstand.

***

Perspective: Subtle Shift

I started into the living room pondering what drove me to take this filly under my care. She reminds me of myself, I suppose. Fate dealing her a hand that was rigged from the start of the game. Well it's too late to leave her now. I walk to the reclining chair, grip it in my hooves and head back to the room. Upon my entrance, I noticed Shine was looking at something. "Who are the people in this picture Shift?", she asked with a quizzical look. "They were my parents." I pull the chair into a corner and walk to the filly. "And that picture is all I have of them." I looked to the floor before she asked another question. "Where are they?" I looked at her in the eyes before answering again. "As I said before my mother died during child-birth and my father was never around when I was a colt. I had to survive on my own until I found my job." She looked at me curiously. "How old are you?" I laughed at the question. "I'm twenty-three, why?" She looked at me with even more curiosity. "Why are your eyes grey?" I looked to the mirror opposite the bed. "They are grey because of the type of magic I use." She appeared to be dumbfounded. "I thought you didn't know how to use magic?" I drew power to my horn as I spoke. "I never said I didn't know how to use my magic."

***

Perspective: Star Shine

His horn glowed as the room was engulfed with a grey light. I closed my eyes for a second. When I opened them I was met with a sight that made me jump in excitement. I found myself in the middle of a party! The sweet smell of baked food overwhelmed me as I looked to the display before me. A table filled to the edges with cakes, muffins, ice cream and candy. I nearly fainted at the sight. I see everypony freeze as if time stood still; I turned to find Shift looking at me with an amused smile. "What do you think about my magic?" I stood, mouth agape as he bent reality to his will. So awesome! "How is this even possible?", I ask with a small amount of disbelief. He grew a smirk and walked towards me. "That would be telling." As he moved, all of reality as I perceived it fell into oblivion behind him.

I awoke upon the bed with him nowhere in sight, but instead, the air was filled with tunes from a piano. I entered the living area where I witnessed Shift presiding over a piano, playing it as shadows danced around the room. Many depicted a pony committing horrifying acts against others, more than a few were decapitated, while others were disemboweled. I stood still both in horror and in awe as the images continued. As he ended the beautiful demonstration I slowly crept forward and hugged him. He must have a lot of grief to let go of... Well, since he helped me I'll help him! I hugged him as I saw a stray tear fall from his cheek as he returned the gesture.

After we broke the hug I yawned due to all the excitement of the day. He picked me up and planted me onto the bed before he spoke. "Thanks Star, I'm going to be going out for a bit, okay?" He looked at me with concern, no doubt the cause of my fear. "I'll be fine as long as I'm asleep... I hope". With that, he left the room and the apartment. Within minutes sleep took me.

***

Perspective: Subtle Shift

After leaving the apartment I decided to get some food for Shine and myself. I entered an establishment of high standards owned by none other than Fancypants and Fleur de Lis. Entrepreneurs... gotta love 'em. I waved to Fleur as I took a booth in the far back and Fancypants followed soon after. He placed a menu in front of me and put on a smile. "Always good to see you Monsieur Shift, what shall it be today?" I looked through the menu and selected something for Star, then myself. As Fancypants walked away to prepare my meal a figure in a black cloak sat in the seat in front of me. "Are you hunter or are you prey?" It was a soft voice; from what I could tell it was a mare in her early twenties. "I am hunter", I responded to the challenge that new contacts would use. The mare placed a near invisible barrier around the booth, most likely to sound proof it. "I represent a certain... enterprise that would like your help in a matter." She struggled to find the correct words for the situation.

"What did you have in mind?", I asked feigning interest. That cloak... It must be that group that tried to contract me a month back. She grew a smile before stating what I already knew. "We will offer you a large amount of bits to deal with a certain hu..." I put a hoof to her mouth, as I rejected. "No, I will not take this human's life. I have seen what happens to those who are under the employ of 'The Darkness'. I refuse to work for those you represent, and their ideals." I gave her a deadpan look and continued. "You are nothing but cultists trying to bring about the apocalypse, and I will have no part in that." As my food arrived she stood to leave. "We will approach you again when you have come to your senses." With that said, she left. Finishing the meal before me, I approached the counter to pay Fleur and be on my way. I grabbed the meal I had boxed specifically for Star Shine, before heading to the apartment. I arrived not long after, placing a note and the meal on the kitchen table and left. Upon my exit, I decided to go to a realty to schedule a carriage to Detrot and to purchase a 'home' there. Home... that's somewhere I have not been for quite some time. I shook the thought from my head before entering the building.

***

2 Hours Later...

I exited the building about 30,000 bits lighter before heading for the safe house. I can't believe they charged so much for a one-story home... 29,699 bits. For an extra 300 bits we'll include a free carriage ride to your new home! I mocked the sales associate before pondering how the carriage ride was 'free' if I paid 300 bits for it. I soon realised I was sitting outside the safe house for close to 15 minutes, Star even poked me with a stick from the first step. I sighed and headed to my chair only to remember I moved it to the bedroom. Upon entering said bedroom, I collapsed in the chair and embraced sleep's sweet respite.

2 Hours Minutes Later...

"Shift..."

"..."

"Shift..."

"mmm..."

"SHIFT!"

I awoke to a small green pegasus jumping on my lap. I let out a groan of unmistakable pain as she smashed my stallionhood. I reeled as she flew onto the floor exclaiming something. I came to my senses to hear her yell. "I LEARNED HOW TO FLY!!!" I stared at her with both pain and excitement. She demonstrated her new found ability by rocketing through the apartment and performing little spins in the air. After her display I congratulated her and went back to the chair. Not long before I would have fallen asleep, I felt a small pegasus jump to my lap once more. Before I could act, she hugged me and spoke something that made my heart break.

"I love you Dad..."

WAIT WHAT?

AN: So 1,700 will probably be around the average length for most chapters. Also, feel free to point out any grammatical/spelling errors so I may fix them. Thank you. And thank Grado for making this legible.