1:00 AM
An old cottage pushed against the edge of Hollow Shades forest. Rotting wood, moldy straw and dusty cobwebs decorated the house in and out, the only residents were squirrels and birds whose nest littered the upper rafters.
Tonight it would have its first pair of visitors in years.
A patient unicorn was waiting in the shadows, his deep black coat and very messy dull white mane made it easy for him to blend into the rafters overlooking the upper floors
Then she came. Through a hole in the roof flew a gray mare pegasi with a blond mane; the unicorn smiled from the shadows.
“Hello pretty bird” he said in a warm but somehow still arrogant voice.
Not even surprised he was there, she answered, “Hello Echo!” Derpy said in a cheery voice, then she blushed. “Why do you keep calling me that?”
Echo Jumped down from the rafters, landing more like a cat than a pony. He walked up to her, his smug look grew as he approached her.
“Because there are so many sins in my life that I look forward to seeing such an innocent face; it’s like the first ray of sun after a storm, or the morning bird softly awaking me from sleep.” He answered her with real sincerity in his voice. Echo got close enough to her to whisper in her ear. “Such a pretty thing, such a pretty bird.”
Her face only darkened even more then she smiled at him.
“You’re always so sweet to me.” She said.
Echo could charm any mare or stallion into melting in his hooves, but this one was different. Her response was not that of some pony in heat but a mare truly happy to be speaking to him. She was the one constant in his life, a life full of deaths and truths.
“And why wouldn’t I be? Should not a pony treat the wonders in his life with care?” replied Echo smiling as if he just gave the mare the greatest gift of all. All he got in return was fits of laughter causing him back up from her. Echo soon realized that she had been playing with him.
“How many times have you used those lines, Echo?” she asked after hardly calming herself.
“On about 17 mares, 2 stallions, 28 griffons 3 diamond dogs, 8 Minotaurs and 1 dragon,” He replied as if it was a normal question.
“Ooooh, what happened with the stallions?” Derpy asked
“I had to kill them.” He replied as if it was nothing
“Why were you trying to seduce a dragon?” asked the mare.
This time Echo started laughing, “Wasn't trying to seduce a dragon, I was charming him. The dragon had some much needed information.”
“I bet you could seduce a dragon if you wanted to” Derpy teased.
“If that were true I would have seduce you a lot sooner.” Echo said as he made his way towards her again. “So why didn’t I?”
“Because I’m not a dragon, silly.” The mare answered, clearly amused by her answer.
“No your most definitely are not a dragon, you’re my pretty bird.” he responded and nuzzled her neck.
“Well this bird has a delivery for you” she said pushing his face away playfully. She then handed him a parcel with no markings; his next target.
1:55 AM That same night.
You could consider Echo a talented spell caster; but this is only because his magic was one that few knew or even have use for. One of his favorites is a spell that allowed him to walk up walls. This is ideal when dealing with an earth pony, unlike pegasi and unicorns, earth ponies don’t tend to look up.
While hanging upside down in the parlor room he casted yet another spell on his hooves; his front hoofs started to shape themselves into two inch long blades.
Satisfied that he is ready, Echo crouched down into the darkness of the ceiling using his dark coat to camouflages himself. His mane and tail became black and the white of his eyes mimicked the rest of his body.
Soon after that Echo’s target entered the room. The target started showing signs that he was going to leave his home. So Echo needed to act fast, a public death would not be ideal.
He quickly positions himself behind his target before canceling his wall spell causing him to land right behind the pony. The sound he made was just enough to make his target stop in his tracks. With the stallion’s hesitation to his advantage he plunged the fronts of his hooves down into the target’s back and pulled him close enough for Echo to be standing just above him.
This technique was used to puncture the lungs and collapse them; removing the targets ability to scream. This became painfully clear to the victim when he tried to cry for help and found he couldn't even breathe. Fear, panic, and even pain barely had time to register in the poor stallion mind when Echo finished his target with swift head butt to the back of the stallion’s head piercing his brain with his horn. A clean kill.
His target down, Echo started cleansing the house of any residual magic. With Echo’s job done he cracked the door so that the body could be found and left through one of the back windows.
When he was far away enough so that they could not detect his magic he teleported in a flash of black and white smoke.
3:26 AM
Why three in the morning? A chestnut color stallion thought to himself. The body would still be here five hours from now.
Ponies die all the time, but this one is different; Two holes in the back, one in the head with nothing in the house missing or damaged. The intention of the scene was obvious.
This was murder.
Murder is not a crime that happened often in Equestria, even in Manehatten, and this wasn't just any pony, it was a member of the pony congressional named Two Tongues, A blue stallion with a darker blue mane and a quill for a cutie mark.
So the Manehatten Police Department wanted their best at the scene; and that meant Puzzle Solve.
Puzzle Solve is an older stallion whose gruff demeanor and buzzed cute style mane gave people the impression he was once one of the guards in Canterlot.
He sported a tan trench coat that was hiding his red puzzle piece cutie mark from the public eye, kept his tools on him at all times, and not to mention dry.
For some reason it was always wet in Manehatten. Ether it be rain or leaking pipes; sewer backups or flooding. Manehatten was just plain, wet.
Puzzle Solve sat right outside the Manehatten house, just behind the yellow tape, waiting for the CSIs to finish up. It’s a typical home of a politician, large, well furnished, expensive, and a lot of places to hid things. He was still standing there when the chief showed up.
Chief Iron Back; a light green stallion aged even more than Puzzle Solve. Small gray whiskers jetting out of his lower jaw and very bushy salt and pepper eye brows accented his face. Because of his age the only thing left of his mane was some white hair on the very top of his head that he combed over; fooling no one. It was said that he had the longest career in the MPD, and his MPD shield cutie mark certainly helped this rumor along
“Chief Iron Back.” grunted Puzzle Solve.
“Detective Puzzle Solve” Iron grunted back.
The Chief, like Puzzle Solve, was thinking the same thing. It’s three in the bucking morning.
“How the investigation?” asked the Chief going through the motions.
“Barely even begun.” Puzzle Solve replied “All I have is a statement from Night Watch.” He tilted his head to a gray stallion with a black mane. “He found the body of Two Tongues around two and he called it in.”
“How did he find the body? It looks to me that the crime scene is inside the house.” Asked the Chief.
“Night Watch noticed the door was cracked and the lights turned off. Went to go checked it out, what he found gave him a nasty scare.” Puzzle Solve answered.
“Oh?” replied The Chief. “Yea I'm pretty sure Night Watch had a black coat before tonight.” The Chief joked.
Night Watch suddenly sneezed into his hoof.
“When is the last time you saw a murder Chief?” ask Puzzle Solve.
“When I was a rookie,” Chief answered. “Some Pegasi was killed in her home, one of the cloud units. Her magic eventually left her body and she fell through the floor of her room, and landed right on the table of a couple having their first date. It would have been all over the news if it wasn’t for our beloved princess visiting out of the blue; completely overshadowed the event."
Puzzle Solve gave a shudder to the Chief’s tale.
“So it must have been another Pegasi?" Puzzle Solve asked.
“What? Oh. Yea, you might be right,” Answered the chief, “Don’t think the mare on the case thought of that. Would have made investigation easier; maybe would’ve even caught the perp.”
“Wait, it wasn’t solved?” Puzzle Solve asked a little stunned.
“I’m afraid not,” Iron Back answered.
“You mean to tell me the only other murder case that I have heard of was never solved?” Puzzle Solve asked with slight irritation.
“O yes well, homicide is almost foreign in our lands so it didn’t go very well.”
Puzzle Solve was a little dumbfounded.
“Look at the bright side detective;” the chief went on, “This is a case that few will ever come across, a rare case to be solved by none other than Detective Puzzle Solve himself. You’ll be a household name.”
Puzzle Solve is a very solemn pony whose only joy in solving his cases, he saw not much else in his life’s purpose so ideas of grander was almost beneath him. Chief Iron Back, however, was chief for a reason. He wanted to ride Puzzle Solve political current as high as he could.
46 hours later, 1:26 am
Canterlot was very much alive tonight. Candles lit the halls of the castle, casting a romantic glow in every direction. The afterhours guards were changing shifts, assistant and scholars of all kinds and ranks could be seen scouring through the halls, even the castle pest were overly active. Rounding a corner, Echo was on his way to add his own flavor to the nightly stew when he saw the benefactor of his most recent…accomplishment.
Duke Blood was ducking into a typical conference room with his son Prince Blue Blood. The typical holier than thou look placid on their faces, but Echo could see the anxiety that their hides exuberated.
They knew he was coming.
If anyone saw an unsavory pony such as Echo meeting up with members of the royal family...well it just wouldn't be good gossip.
Echo eyed the candles in front of him and behind him. A grin caressed his face as light started to fade around him. He turned his mane, tail, and even his eyes black as he was swallowed up by the darkness.
Careful not to make any sound with his hooves, Echo, made his way to his meeting with the Bloods. A few feet behind the newly cloaked figure the candles came back to life as the ones in the opposite faded out like a dying old pony. Echo was like a living shadow moving through the corridor.
When he reached his destination he found the door locked.
“So they want a show?” Echo said to no one in particular.
The sound of his voice caused a guard to glance down the hall. After seeing nothing the guard made a note to have the castle workers relight the candles in the halls.
With a smile on his face Echo pushed his horn to the door; suddenly, like a ripple in a pond, the door gave way to his form.
On the other side the Bloods watched with curiosity and fear as the door melted into a gel and started squeezing a figure through it. A rather long charcoal color horn broke the gel like surface first; the arrogant face of Echo followed causing Blue Blood to shudder at his site. His father just looked bored, like a pony seeing the same play for the fourth or fifth time. The rest of Echo made its’ way, literally, out of the door way; the frame behind him return to normal, the lights in the room flicker.
“Enough with theatrics, Echo, is he dead?!” the Duke said wasting no time; annoyance licked every vowel.
Blue Blood winced at the sudden asperity of his father. The Duke hated everything that was Echo, but that didn’t stop him from using his talents.
Echo just looked at Blue Blood as if the Duke wasn’t even in the room, a droplet of sweat rolled down the spoiled pony’s face. Duke Blood was closer to the door at the time but Echo just walked past him to Blue Blood.
“Your orders have been carried out my prince,” Echo said; his tone almost daring the Duke to speak up.
“Good!” said Duke Blood as if the comment was for him, “Two Tongs was an annoyance since his career started but what he pulled,” The Duke cute himself off with his own growl and started to grind his teeth.
“Will that be all, my prince?” Echo continued as if nothing was said, a glimmer of irritation on his face. Blue Blood looked almost scared.
“Y-yes that’s all,” mumbled the young prince. Echo bowed his head and backed himself up toward the door passing by the Duke again, once Echo found himself in front of the Duke he turned to leave showing his flank to the Duke.
“You give YOUR BACK TO ME?!”The Duke cried, “I tire of your disrespect Black Coat!”
As if the world closed its eyes the light vanished from the room, a whimper could be heard from Blue Blood. Slowly the candles relit and with it a scene emerged with Echo crouched down with his horn at Duke’s neck.
“Did I just here my family’s name leave your lips?” Echo’s voice seemed to cut the very air around them, “Only the royal family should know that name, and there is not a drop of their blood running through your veins. Or am I mistaken? Shall I spill some and found out?”
“N-no Echo!”, Prince Blue Blood said “it’s my fault I let it slip out, do not harm him, please!”
“Is that an order of the royal family?” asked Echo his posture unwavering
“Yes!” the prince practically screamed. “By your name Echo Black Coat obey my order and leave us!”
Echo vanished in a bright flash of black and white smoke the Duke collapsed on the floor never before more relieved.
Black Coats. Their service to the royal family can be traced back as far as the family goes, not always assassins but always a secret known only to the family. Not even ponies married into the family, like the Duke, were allowed to know much. The long history of the Black Coats has led to a lot of traditions and customs. Having a soft spot for romanticism, Echo has followed the ways of his family religiously. Some in the royal family find this odd as he was the last Black Coat alive. Other believed that his families emanate extinction was the reason Echo was so traditional. This was the reason he almost killed the duke. Echo should have taken his life right then and there but a royal order is absolute.
Besides he made his point to the duke. Echo had a more important meeting to attend to anyways and the matriarch of the family should not be kept waiting.
He teleported straight to the hall to the princess’s rooms, a risky move if he wasn’t hanging off the ceiling. Snuffing out the light around him the Echo casually walked down the wall. When reaching level ground he realized the presence of someone who noticed him. Only one pony could out sneak him in this darkness.
“Hello your grace, your night has been my shield.” A traditional greeting of Echo’s family.
“We are glad you have received our protection to aid in your services.” He couldn’t see her, but Echo can recognize Luna’s voice. “We’ll guard the night so you may rest my servant.” With that her presence was gone.
After his greeting with Princess Luna, Echo finished his trip to Celestia’s room and let himself in.
“Princess, my actions make way for the day,” another family greeting one that let her know he was returning from an order.
“Hello Echo,” Celestia was the only other pony that has ever used a happy tone with him. Thoughts of the blond mare raced through his mind.
“No colorful entrance this time?” the princess continued, almost pouting.
Echo smirked at her comment. He loved the sly sense of humor that she had. Much more warm than that of her sister.
“Little has happened to bring out my more colorful side.” Echo responded.
Celestia’s flatten her ears back, not a gesture one would normally see on the regal pony, but Echo has been in her life since his first cries could be heard.
“And what has put you in this mood?” she asked, a worried look on her face.
“Please princess I prefer a mare with a smile,” Echo responded. No matter the mare, when Echo used that line he would find the mare smiling, and the princess was no exception. The first time it didn’t work was when he met Derpy. She didn’t smile back but she did answer, “I been smiling all day my mouth’s a little tired now so you’ll have to settle for this face”, she pressed her hoof to her face and stuck out her tongue while letting her eyes cross even more. Echo found himself doing something he’s only forced out before, he laughed.
Movement from the princess snapped him out of his thoughts; she was circling him looking him over. Echo was large for a unicorn with a horn longer than most, useful in his line of work. The messy mate that was his mane and tail gave him a rouges look, but what stuck out was his black coat with no cutie mark. His coat was so dark that he made Nighmare Moon seemed florescent, as for his cutie mark, he did have one but black does not show up well on black. A black flame was perfect for Echo for light bent to his will like extra appendage.
“You should be asleep right now princess the night is your sister’s domain.” Echo said, hinting that he was tired and would like to move on.
She stopped her pacing, “Yes I do feel some fatigue, very well when is the last time you took on a griffin general?”
Echo wasn’t very sleepy any more.
“Ok Echo, I would like your full attention.” Every time Celestia did one of these briefs Echo felt like he was in a history class.
“Griffin generals are more like warlords or knights during our own feudal age. Owning land, resources and an army while maintaining the law and people of his or hers providence. While more aggressive than the ponies of Equestria, this way of governing has made the species exist as a state of the nation with no clear borders. In fact most dispute, which seem to only involve trade, are solved locally.”
“With ponies, yes.” Echo added, “But amongst themselves they are almost always fighting, like warring tribe or clans.”
“True,” she went on, “However, one ambitious general has started an operation to unite the griffins under more cohesive form of government, with him at the seat of power. His campaign is running on the idea that ponies are the reason that the griffins never had it as good, like we are a wall to tear to and overcome, turning the ponies of Equestria into enemy number one.”
Echo ears perked, he could already tell what was going on.
“This has placed me in a dire situation; I would love to see the griffins of this nation united, but if the general were to fulfill his goals his way it would mean war and maybe even genocide.”
Echo nodded guessing as much.
“Unfortunately if I was to oppose the general it would just strengthen his position.” She took a moment to sigh.
Celestia has never like utilizing the Black Coats, much less Echo. He is her personal assassin, but he has been a part of her life for a long time. She had no other choice as he was the last of the Black Coats…that she knew of.
“You’re the only way to avoid the death of millions; even then we are risking turning him into a martyr.”
“Which means stealth and anonymity is priority.” Echo added.
“Indubitably,” She said. “The general’s endeavor has taken him to recruit the griffins that live on Smokey Mountain, he’ll stop in Tall Tale, which is another general’s territory and that is where I want you positioned.”
“I get it.” Echo couldn’t help but smile, his princess has always been one step ahead of everything, even him, “The death, unless evidence to the contrary, will be labeled as a cross house dispute.”
3:26 pm 36 hours after Two Tongs death
“Is it true Puzzle Solve?”
Puzzle Solve stopped rummaging through the cold case file that was left on his desk. His desk was just one of about six in an open area for the senor detectives. Puzzle Solve just signed and turned to a teal colored rookie settling to just get it over with.
“Yes, Manehatten just had its first murder in 25 years, but that’s all I can tell you until the case is done rookie. Now, other than the case, can I do anything else for you?” Puzzle Solve just stared at the poor stallion until he awkwardly walked away.
Rookies, he thought to himself. The old detective turned his attention back to the case at hand. There was nothing found at the crime scene, no hoof-prints, no magic, nothing to indicate motive.
Even if we had suspect we would have nothing to take to a judge. Puzzle thought. If I can find the why I can find who, the who will lead to the what and that will lead to the how. I would have to look into what Two Tongs was working on. Canterlot will not be happy about this.
While Canterlot was outside of Puzzle Solve’s jurisdiction he had plenty of contacts in the guard, particular one blue haired unicorn he used to train in internal affairs.
He turned his attention back to the cold case file on his desk. He skimmed through a few files, most of them just written accounts, but a file of pictures caught his attention, and it was of the crime scene of the pony that was killed 25 years ago.
The pictures were of the body being discovered after it fell from the cloud apartment. The mare’s body lied mangled over the table. The impact of the fall caused laceration thought the body, like it tried to explode but fell short. Then there were the autopsy photos; Puzzle Solve eyes went wide then morphed into a smile.
“Two in the back one in the head” he said to himself, “now I have my first clue. Whoever this pony is has killed in this town before and is most likely over 45 years old.”
Night Watch!” Puzzle Solve cried out suddenly.
Puzzle Solve wasn’t sure if the rookie was still around or not but he wanted to keep this close as possible. Luckily the gray stallion poked his head almost comically out of the hall adjacent to the detective area.
“Did someone call me?” he said.
“Yo, Night Watch come here!” Puzzle Solve said waiving his hoof in the air.
The stallion slinked over like a teenager that was just called over by the school principle. “Yes sir?”
“I want you to find everything major that happened on the day that pegasi was killed and then get every artical from news papers to pony market reports on my desk.” Night Watch could only stare slacked jawed, “you have five days rookie!”
The flabbergasted pony shook his head out of his daze “yes sir! ... May I ask why?”
Tapping the photos on his desk was his answer. Night walked up to the photos and looked a little queasy once he saw what they were, but then he took a closer look. Two punctures to the back right above the wings and one in the head.
“Just like Two Tongs,” he said in almost a whisper, “this unsub has killed before.”
Puzzle Solve smile, this stallion doesn’t have much gusto but he had a good head on his shoulders.
Train bound for Ponyville, morning after the brief
Princess Celestia has granted Echo a five day leave as the target won’t be in reach for a week. At which time he would head to Tall Tale.
Normally he would just teleport to any destination he wanted to in order to stay out of sight. However, Celestia forbade him from using any advance magic until his leave was up. Echo could only assume what the sun princess was thinking.
O well. He thought to himself as he boarded the train, Never been on a train before anyways.
Echo found himself uncomfortable, he was just not used to this, he nearly took the head of the pony that came by and asked him for his ticket. He had been at plenty of public gatherings and events before, from the most prestige like the Gala to the depraved and often violet gatherings of Minotaurs, but those he had a goal, a target, or he was gathering intel. Here he was free do anything he wanted to and he had no clue what that would be. He just couldn’t settle down much less stop eyeing every pony like a potential threat; which in his mind they were.
I think there is a bar here, he thought to himself, desperate to relax.
Getting up to make his way to the next cart he felt the many eyes that perked up to his movement, reminding Echo just how much his looks made him stand out.
“I’m a master at stealth but put me in a crowd and I stand out like a tree in a desert,” he groaned to himself.
As he walked down the aisle he noticed someone got up quickly just as he passed him. Sensing the threat Echo reared up on a solitary hind leg and spun himself on it. Allowing him to swiftly face the opposite direction; he aligned his horn perfectly with his spine turning his whole body into a spear ready to thrust. With his eyes facing the floor he was using his other senses to study his opponent and ready to strike the moment he moved.
The only thing that came was a putrid smell. The stallion…had peed himself.
Echo reluctantly raised his head and looked at the pony, brown with a dark brown mane and an hour glass for a cutie mark.
“Sorry, I'm easily startled” Echo said, realizing his mistake, “why did you get up so fast?”
“I had to pee!” the stallion responded louder then he probably wished he had.
“Well not anymore, come, I'll buy you some drinks and hopefully end this trip with more embarrassing moments.” Echo said hoping to salvage the stallion’s dignity. He moved to put his front leg across the shoulders of the stallion. “I won’t take no for an answer pal.”
The brown stallion looked down, but then smiled at Echo “well I did just make room now didn’t I?” The stallions laughed.
“Dinky dear, where are you?” the blond mare cooed “I know you’re in the house, it’s not nice to hid from mommy”, she sang out walking through her kitchen. She suddenly heard laughter outside the window and looked to find her daughter playing with another foal named Pipsqueak. She scrunched ups her face at her silliness and poked her head out the window. “Dinky dear could you come in? You need to get cleaned up.”
“Aww” Dinky heard Pipsqueak moan.
“Hey, we’ll play tomorrow” she reassured him. Pipsqueak smiled at her and Dinky waived him goodbye as she turned towards her home running to up to the door; she found her mom waiting for on the other side.
“I drew bath for you, and remember to brush your teeth. Do you want to wear something to the station?” Her mother asked.
“Maybe, but are sure about when the train will get there?” her mother was not the most punctual pony.
“Well the schedules’ on the ice-box, and I already made some muffins so we’re waiting on you.” She taped her daughter’s nose playfully. “Hop in before the water gets cold,” her daughter then ran down the hall to the awaiting bath.
The young mother made her way to the kitchen and arranged the muffins in a basket, she made a quick glance at the schedule on the fridge and reached out to it, and turned it right side up. “Dinky dear make it a quick bath and don’t worry about putting anything on.” She yelled out to her daughter.
A few moments later her daughter was walking out of the bathroom drying her mane. She found her mother at the door with a basket of muffins in her mouth.
“Will he will like the muffins?” she asked her mom eyeing the basket. Her mother just nodded. Her expression suddenly changed and she kicked at the floor, “think he’ll like me?’
Her mother set the basket on her back and smiled at her, “more than he’ll like the muffins” her daughter giggled as her mother nuzzled her. “Come on lets go, we’re already going to make him wait.”
Book 1 Chapter II: Cut Short
The train came to a screeching stop of smoke and steam; Dinky and her mother waited, their breath trapped in their lungs, as the passengers exited the train.
"Is that him, mommy?" Dinky asked pointing into the white cloud. Her mother tried to focus her eyes, as the smoke cleared she could make out two stallions coming out of the train. She nodded to her daughter nearly spilling the baskets of muffins on her head. Dinky started bouncing straight up and down out of excitement, while her mother fluttered her wings and waved at the colts, getting their attention.
Both colts walked up to the mare.
"Hello Derpy!" they said in union causing the stallions to look at one another in surprise.
"Well," said the brown stallion, "Small world Echo."
"True." Echo responded with a little suspicion in his tone.
"Pardon me Echo, but I have a massage for our friend here." The stallion cleared his throat, "5 days, Tall Tale, abandon theater, Tail Tale, follow, open support."
To most ponies, including Dinky, that was gibberish, but to Derpy and Echo they understood the message. "Well good day Derpy, Echo." To everyone's surprise the brown stallion did a 180º got right back on the train.
"Well, that was random!" Dinky cried out. Her outburst brought Echo's attention to her.
"Well now, what is this thing?" he lifted Dinky up into his hoofs, "Tell me pretty bird", he grabbed Dinky by her back hoofs and hung her upside down, Dinky started to giggle as the blood rushed to her head. "Is this thing yours?" Echo asked, playfully thrusting the foal into the face of the mare, as if Dinky was a fish.
Laughing even louder, Dinky planted a kiss on her mother's face as she hung upside down.
Smiling at Echo's antics she decided to play along.
“Well that's what the hospital told me."
"Hey!!" the filly shouted. The two laughed as Echo place her on the ground right side up.
"So little one," Echo addressed her directly, "may I have your name?"
"Nope, it belongs to me, but you can barrow it; just make sure you give it back." The filly giggled at her own joke.
"Savvy aren't we?" Echo said playing along. "Ok how about a trade? I'll give you my name if you give me yours."
Dinky inspected her hoof as she answered, "I an't no normal filly mister” she then pointed her hoof at him aggressively. “You need to sweeten the deal."
"Hmmmm" Echo held his hoof to his lips thinking. "How about I teach you spell?"
As if someone hit a switch in Dinky, a huge smile swept across her face, "Really?!"
"I'm assuming we have a deal little filly?" He answered.
"Yep, yep, yep! I'm Dinky!"
"I'm Echo." He then kneeled down so he was face to face with her. "But do you know who I really am?"
Just as fast as it came, the happiness left her face quickly replaced with a look of worry. She looked up to her mom who gave her an encouraging smile and waived a hoof at the filly.
She looked back at Echo, "My, daddy?" she said almost scared of the answer.
Using his horn, he slipped it under her and tossed her on his head. She found herself giggling as she landed. Hearing her laugh again Echo couldn't help but to make another joke.
"Well, that's what your mother tells me." He said mimicking Derpy.
Now Echo has seen dragons and demons at their worst, saw the great wrath that Celestia has hidden away, and has seen more death than any solder in history. But nothing has ever scared him more than the glare that his mare was giving him right now.
Echo gulped and looked up at the confused filly. "Yes Dinky, I'm your father," he started to make his way off the platform, balancing the filly on his head, she wrapped her forelegs around his horn, "and we have a lot of catching up to do."
Blending into the crowd on the platform, three griffins watch the family walk away from the station. A look of suppressed anger glittered in their expressions. Without taking their murderous eyes off their target, they regrouped in the middle of the platform.
"Is that him?" one of them asked. Their gaze was so intense the ponies around seem walk around their line of sight.
"Has to be; I've never seen a pony with a coat like that. So how should we do this?" they looked at the griffin between them.
He was looking more at the family unit than just Echo. A brutish smile grew across his face, "Publically" he spat.
The couple was making their way to the market area of Ponyville. Both local and out of town merchants were peddling their goods today. This made the market exceptionally busy; Echo thought the place looked like a small festival event.
Despite all the noise and distractions that the market had to offer, their attention was squarely on the filly ridding on Echo's head.
"Are those muffins?" Echo said suddenly, eyeing the basket on the mares head.
"Yep, you wanna trade?" asked the mare, looking up at her daughter.
"Tempting, I am a little hungry, but this thing is keeping my horn nice and warm."
"Hey!" cried Dinky, "I'm not a thing!"
"I thought you were a Dinky?" he rebuttal.
"Yes but I'm not a Dinky thing." She said in a whiny voice. "Besides, mommies muffins are the best, you should eat some if you're hungry"
"Why?" Echo kept up the teasing.
"Because there're tasty!" she exclaimed.
"I bet you're tastier." Echo said with a smirk.
"what?" was the only thing Dinky had time to say before Echo flicked his head down flipping the filly onto the ground landing Dinky on her back. With Dinky's belly exposed Echo started blowing raspberries and nibbling at her. Young laughter filled the air in the market causing a few onlookers to stop and smile at the scene.
Echo suddenly stopped, and a look of intense focus over took his face.
"What's wrong Mr. Echo?" Dinky ask out of concern.
"Nothing dear, but why don't you take a nap?" he tapped his horn on hers and Dinky's eyes gently closed.
As he relaxed his body time seemed to slow down around Echo. The sounds of so many ponies became distant while the wind became a deafening whistle.
Echo suddenly lurched himself backwards; bending at the spine, his horn suddenly grew in length quickly becoming longer than his own body. His horn had found its way through a griffin's chest.
The griffin's paws and talons were flailing inches from Echo's face, while blood flowed down his horn.
As his injury took its toll on his body, blood seeping its way out of his beak, the attacker stopped moving, and with what little strength he had left he spoke, "Basta-!"
If smiles could leer, Echo's would be.
"You shouldn't hover over a target to long; I noticed your shadow long before you began to dive. I knew you would try to drive your talons into the back of my head," the impaled griffin glared through bloodshot eyes as Echo mocked him, "a quick kill, if it had worked." Echo tossed the griffin off his horn before the weight of death made him too heavy.
Screams and shirks of terror filled the plaza just as the limp body hit the ground. Panic filled the air as ponies started to run in every direction.
"Derpy!" Echo yelled out, "get," he turned to see her already flying far from the scene with Dinky in her arms. Good, he thought to himself, now I doubt this guy was working alone.
Sure enough three more shadows seem to come out of the sun. One landed a distance away the other two were hovering on either side of him.
A flanking position; these are not civilians. thought Echo. Ironic, I hid in the shadows they hide in the light.
"That was an interesting attack", the griffin on the ground said, "never seen a unicorn do something like that with their horn."
Echo retracted his horn to normal size, "I can cast alteration spells on my body without the use of my horn."
Three griffins in broad daylight, in public, and most of Echo's magic has been locked. Echo was at a disadvantage. He needed to stall, he needs to keep them talking.
"Didn't know unicorns can cast magic without their horns," the one speaking seemed to be in charge as the others just stood by as if waiting for something.
"Anyone can use magic; the horn just makes it easier. Now, why attack me? Is pony on the menu again? I thought griffins stuck to fish and small game." Might as well find out what's going on. Echo thought to himself.
"No, nothing like that" he said casually, "we came to stop you, killing you is just the easiest way."
"So you know who I am then?" come on keep talking.
"We know what you have planned for our general."
He's being way to revealing. Echo thought. He's not in charge, he's a distraction, he's also stalling, there's a fourth griffin!
As if his realization was a queue, Echo found his legs magically bound to the ground.
"You were right, pony, anyone can use magic." The new voice belonged to a smaller griffin that was making his way from behind one of the merchant stalls. Rune like markings circled his eyes, his wing tips were fading to white but he had a very young face; a cruel smile was etched into his beak.
"My name is Crowley, and I have orchestrated your death today. Remember that as I send you on your way"
With barley any magic to counter with, Echo was a sitting duck, refusing to give into his panic he weighed his options, he could counter attack a griffin easily but if all three attacked while he could not move…well he would still take one of them with him.
WHOOSH! A streak of gray and yellow shot out from nowhere slamming into one of the air born griffins, knocking him out of the air; as if it used the griffin as a spring board, the streak bounced off him and went right past the other hovering griffin.
Just like his companion the griffin fell from the sky, first his body then his head.
It happened so quickly that not even the wind made a sound, all the remaining griffins could do was stare in disbelief. What seemed like hours went by as nether party moved an inch. All three set of eyes were gawking at a gray and blond mare hovering upright, like some kind of angle of death. Her fore hooves gilded three 12 inch long blades, like a pair of claw, her back hooves had a single blade just as long as the others. Echo's favorite part was her eyes, they were closed the whole time.
It was her talent, she could sense the air around her, like echo location only a thousand times more accurate. this hyper sensitivity was why her flank sported bubbles.
Sudden movement rattled Echo from his thoughts; the griffin that was stalling for Crowley took flight right at Derpy.
"You're dead mare bitch!" the griffin screamed at her as he rushed her.
Idiot, Echo thought as he watched, he’s already dead.
The griffin seemed to take off like a missile, aimed at her back.
Derpy didn't move an inch until the last moment. She swept one of her back hooves towards her attacker then barreled rolled out of his way. The griffin landed roughly and started grabbing at his neck as if someone was chocking him. A sickening gurgle could be heard from the griffin's throat.
She had sliced his neck so cleanly that instead of bleeding out, he was drowning in his own blood, a horrible way to die.
The mage! Echo snapped his head around but he was already gone, there were clear signs that he may have teleported to escape.
Well we better get out of here before we become Ponyville's most wanted. He thought to himself as he looked back up at Derpy.
"Oh pretty bird" he sang up to her. She opened her eyes and gave him an acknowledging smile. "Head home before someone sees you; I'll meet you up at the cottage." She took off without a word.
Echo did the only thing he could do, he ran.
Echo made his way across town as a red unicorn with a blond mane and tail; he was weaving illusion magic through his coat, bending the light. He has used this trick in the past to camouflage himself better, never thought of using it to disguise himself till now.
He found Derpy's house nestled in the town with all the other homes. Knocking on the door he didn't know what to expect. So many things came to light all at once that he was uncertain what his next move would be.
How they knew who he was, did someone tell them? It can only be a member of the royal family, which would mean there was a traitor in the palace. If they know who he is do they know who Derpy is and how important she was to him or worse, their daughter? One things is for sure, he's leave is going to be cut short.
Echo was still preoccupied with his thoughts as the door creaked open to little Dinky. She looked up at him and smile, "Mom! Mr. Big Mac is here!" she yelled over her shoulder.
Echo hardly got a word of confusion out before he saw the gray mare coming into his view… and burst into giggles.
"Glad to see you in high spirits after what happened." Echo said to her.
"Come on in 'Big Mac'" she teased.
"Who's this Big Mac?" he asked as he walked in. Dinky was hanging off to the side a little confused.
"He is THE farm boy in Ponyville; he's red with blond hair." She waived her hoof up and down over him. "And he is just as big as you."
A look of understanding swept across his face. Then he remembered the battle in the market. The blond mare seemed to have read his thoughts as she placed a hoof on his lips and stopped him from speaking.
"Why don't you play with your daughter? We can talk when she goes to bed."
"You have a daughter mister?" Dinky spoke up.
Echo was about to give her a horrified look then realized he still had his spell turned on.
"Dinky it's me Echo remember that spell I said I would teach you?"
All Dinky heard was spell and teach. She gave Echo the biggest smile he's seen on her and nodded.
"Ok I'm going to teach you this" His red coat faded to solid black while his mane and tail went back to its white color.
"So tell me little one" Echo cockiness seemed to have returned to him. "What color is your bed covers?"
"Blue with yellow stars"
Echo smirked at her, "why don't we see if you can make them purple with white stars?"
The sun was saying goodnight as Echo tucked Dinky into her new purple blanket with blue stars. "Sorry we couldn't get the stars white dear."
"Its fine," the filly yawned, "Mr. Echo? Mommy said you went away to protect us." Dinky was nodding off barely keeping her eyes open. "That's silly don't do it again."
"Pardon?" Echo was genuinely confused by the statement. "Why is it silly?"
"Because I feel safer when you're here." After that she was gone.
All Echo could do was stare at the filly in admiration. Celestia once said that the words of a foal could move mountains and stop armies. Now he believed it.
Echo made his way into the living room of the house, finding the gray mare waiting for him on the couch.
"Before we start talking about today… I have something to make apparent."
The mare patted the couch.
Echo did as she wished and sat next to her.
"Me and you, we agreed that keeping Dinky as far away from what I do was best. I know this is selfish but I don't want that anymore. I want her in my life, I want you both there. Not just someone I visit and flirt with-"
The gray mare poked his nose playfully and made a 'womp' sound. Getting the hint Echo decided to shut up.
"First off," she tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, "it's a little strange to flirt with your daughter,"
"That's not what I men-" "Womp."
Derpy was smiling at him with her hoof on his nose again.
"Second I agreed with keeping her far from our work not far from you, that was more your decision."
"I was doing what I-" "Womp"
"Third, it's not selfish of a father to raise his foal. She would be happier with you around, you may think it's not safe, but no one is happy when they play it safe."
All Echo could do was stare at her, then he laughed, only around her did his real laugh come out.
"Glade I make you laugh, but" her expression became dark, "we need to talk about the attack today. Those griffins knew who you were, where you'd be, and they already knew what you're planning…I don't even know that. You don't just figure that stuff out."
Echo nodded at her. "I thought the same thing. Someone fed them information. This is big pretty bird." Echo went on to update her on their latest assignment.
"This changes everything" Derpy put her head in her hooves, "this is bigger than just a botched kill."
"It's worse than that," Echo added, "Celestia isn't just some political leader, she is a true ruler. She's a damn general if she needs to be, you should see her play chess, she can be downright scary. So if she has sent me to kill this griffin then it's the only way she can beat him without letting Equestria fall into disarray or even war."
"But with so much intel leaked and this much on the line that can only mean-"
"A traitor in the royal family" Echo finished.
"Even though the griffins know your coming you still have to kill this guy or all of us will be in danger." Derpy's voice showed signs of defeat. "Then there is that mage, I'm sure he was in the crowed watching us the whole time, he knows about Dinky."
"Won't matter if he's dead."
"Even if you succeed they can pin this all on the princess turning this general into a martyr and sparking a war anyways."
"There is a way to avoid that, and make me out to be just a crazy pony that got a lucky kill."
"How?"
"We kill the Princess."
