A Cure for a Toxin.

The rest of the day was a blur. He stayed out until dinner, purchasing a few traveling supplies, and also letting his mind mull over the idea of leaving.

In short, he loved the idea.

The tickets were for a train leaving the day after tomorrow, at almost mid-day. One day to get all his belongings in either storage, or a suitcase. Should be easy enough.

He hadn't been prepared for how caring Celestia was. Toxic had never expected someone of her status to remember him, let alone care. Add to the fact she was giving him this assignment and helping his family....

He didn't know what to think.

Night had since fallen, and Toxic had opted to eat out, seeing as how he already was bustling here and there. Besides, he didn't want to buy more food, since he only had one more day in the outskirts of Canterlot.

He passed by the now less-than-crowded club, which seemed to have attracted less at night than during the day. Toxic saw a few ponies in the ally adjacent to the club, a few stallions and a mare. He looked away respectfully as the mare glanced over to him, eyes wide with embarrassment. The stallion who had been nuzzling her neck glared Toxic's way.

Whoops.

Toxic continue to trot on, a strange feeling working its way into his heart and mind. He hadn't made it to the end of the block when it hit him. His legs slammed into the stones as his muscles tensed. The mare's eyes hadn't been wide with embarrassment.

It had been fear.

The stallion's eyes- he should have recognized that look. It was lust.

No...

Toxic's eyes narrowed as he turned and galloped up the street, breaths coming in short spurts. He wasn't an amazing athlete, but he wasn't out of shape either.

Making it back to the alley in but a fraction of the time, he skidded to a stop just in time to see the mare react. It was difficult to see in the nighttime, but she appeared to be a unicorn, but her color and cutie mark weren't visible.

-WHACK!-

There were three stallions, one of which had just been slammed into a wall by the mare's magic. Toxic began walking towards them, thinking maybe the mare had it under control-

When one of the two knocked her cold with a sneaky blow to the head. By now, he was close enough to hear them speak. More importantly, the one which had been slammed into the wall.

“Stupid mare. You grab her, then lets get going and have some fun.”

Toxic had never been in a fight, ever. A few times he had gotten close, when the bullies had gone too far. Thankfully, things had never escalated to that. The few times he had almost snapped, the other ponies had taken one look at him and backed down.

“HEY!”

The three earth ponies turned, looking at Toxic. His voice rang off the alley walls, devoid of any fluctuating tones, but carrying a deep and authoritative tone. In the few times the bullies had pushed him, or maybe stolen his books, his voice had lost all traces of errors. That was one of the things that made them back down.

“You let her go.”

The nearest stallion, a large shaggy-maned specimen, simply laughed.

“Whatever hero. Just keep walking.”

Toxic lifted the saddlebags off his back, placing them on the ground before walking towards them.

“I s-sai-d. L-let h-er g-go!”

Now all three stallions burst out laughing.

“You have GOT to be kidding me! Of all the ponies to stop, it's the cities own freak. Look buddy, you can't even talk right. Once you fix THAT, then we'll talk.”

“No!”

The lead stallion rolled his eyes, trotting up right to Toxic's face. Without warning, the larger pony swung, the blow glancing off Toxic's cheek. It was a poorly aimed blow, and had been easy to dodge. Toxic had a feeling the next wouldn't be so kind, especially with two more stallions emerging from the back of the alley.

That made five stallions, against him.

“Ok buddy. You asked for it then. Hey! Lets take this guy down, then we have some fun with the mare.”

Wiping the blood from the superficial cut on his cheek, Toxic looked up at the stallion, a smile forming on his lips. His eyes narrowed even further, and his horn sparked with power. Even though he knew that emotions could cloud his actions, he didn't care. Despite his emotionally dulled state, years of pent up feelings surged through his mind.

Anger at the ponies who had mocked him.

Degraded him.

Made him feel like an outcast.

Regret at his lost family.

Fear of a confrontation.

Fear for the well-being of this mare,

and duty to chivalry. He refused to stand by and let this mare suffer.

Another blow, this one also barely dodged. Even so, the blow put him on the ground. Toxic looked up to the building wall, spying a security camera on the corner nearest to them. A quick twist so it was pointed to the alley...

The lead stallion chuckled as the unicorn lay on the ground. Stupid pony. He should have just left-

For the second time, he was thrown against the brick wall, this time hard enough to send a ringing through his skull.

Toxic let magical power surge through his frame, adrenaline giving him an extra boost. Light-armor weaved across his body, solidifying into solid pieces. Modeled after the royal guard armor, it was thicker than the other version. It gave off a ghostly white glow, from greaves, to chest-plate, to helmet. In theory, it could withstand severe punishment.

The two other earth ponies lunged at him, their leader still recovering. Toxic twisted around, aiming a rear hoof at the nearest one, and sent him flying to join his fellow. The stallion collapsed in a heap.

That left three.

Toxic had taken some hoof-to-hoof combat classes, but he wasn't even aware as he used those techniques to block a punch, and deliver a snapping blow to the stallion's cheek. All he felt, and could focus on, was the emotion. For the first time in years, he could...feel!

Even if it was only anger.

The stallion wobbled on his feet, and Toxic's face split into a terrifying snarl. His hoof rocketed across the other pony's head, sending him into slamming into the ground.

That left two.

One must have been a unicorn, because a simple attack spell came flying at him, reflecting off the armor. Seeing his spell fail, the unicorn and other earth pony charged at him.

The turbulent feelings clouded his judgement, and one of their reckless blows hit his helmet, sending him to the ground with the force of the impact.

The remaining two stallions smiled, seeing their foe's armor flicker. They turned around, one of them giving the mare another cruel blow to the head and slinging her onto his back. They would leave their partners for the police. They on the other hand-

Before their thoughts began to spin into dark fantasies concerning the mare, they found out their hooves no longer touched the ground.

Blood running from his nose, Toxic stood his ground, his gaze not leaving the stallions. Their three fellow comrades floated next to them, along with some debris in the alley. His legs shook, but not with exhaustion. His eyes were slitted with rage, mouth still in a vengeful sneer. Pressure built up in his head and chest, sending spasms through his entire frame. His horn sparked with power, white sparks cascading to the ground as two unnoticed tears traced their way down his cheeks.

“Let. Her. GO!”

The resulting blast shook the walls of the buildings of the alley. Bricks and rock flew into the street, along with the listless bodies of the five stallions. They bounced off a lamppost and a few walls, before laying in the street, out cold.

His armor flickered and died, the last of Toxic's strength spent in ensuring the mare was unharmed from the blast as she floated to the ground, encased in a fading shield. Apparently, she was just starting to come around again, and for a brief moment, her eyes met his.

Even though he didn't know the color of her mane, or the symbol of her cutie mark, her eyes alone burned themselves into his memory.

They were a light amber, wide with surprise. It was the sort of color that could either be as soft and comforting as a fire on a cold night, or cold and unyielding like crystal.

Now though, they shimmered with fear, tears...

and thanks.

Darkness began to creep into Toxic's vision as he aimed his horn skyward, sending off a spell long-since memorized. A beam of light shot up, spiraling up and exploding with a thunderous -CRACK!- light reflecting off the surrounding buildings, and streamers falling to point at the alley. It was a distress spell, taught to any pony interested in first aid. He hadn't gotten a chance to use it until now...

“Thank you.”

The mare's voice, soft and shaky with nerves, seared itself into Toxic's memory. For some reason, that voice ignited some feelings he thought long since frozen inside his heart.

Everything then went black.