Chapter 6: Complications

The train arrived in Manehattan at three, more than enough time to find a hotel and still see the sights before the evening started. Sandova had spent most of the trip accommodating to his new body, while Rarity did her best to stay away from him. Apparently she was still miffed about his prank earlier, or his casual flirt had more impact than he initially expected. Either way, he finally managed to master basic levitation by the time the train stopped moving.

"Sandova please don't overexert yourself, you have been trying to levitate everything since you figured out how to do it. Overuse of magic can easily exhaust an unicorn."

Sandova grinned at her, feeling extremely confident right now.

"Don't worry Twilight, I'm an experienced spellcaster you know. Besides, practice makes perfect and I want to master this as soon as possible, otherwise somepony might become suspicious of an adult unicorn that can't even use basic levitation."

The group left the train station and navigated the crowded streets of Manehattan. Fluttershy and Sandova both looked very uncomfortable by the large amount of ponies.

"This city is larger than any city I've ever been in, how in death's name did you build it? How ancient is this city?"

Twilight chuckled.

"This city is relatively new, but because it's the center of several trade routes it quickly expanded. As for the building, magic and technology come in handy. The fact that quite some construction workers are able to fly tends to help as well."

When they went around the corner they found that the road was blocked by a large group of ponies.

"It seems something's going on. Shall we take a look? Because I'm not going around an entire city block just to get to the hotel across the street."

Sandova moved quickly through the crowd, his discomfort with crowds aside he was quite adept at moving through them. It seemed the city guard had blocked off the road, and Sandova could see some bodies covered in sheets being moved. Two guardsponies were holding an struggling unicorn.

"Let me go, I don't know what happened! Please, I'm innocent!"

One of the guards snarled and pressed the young colt down a bit harder. The colt's struggling became more frantic, and Sandova got a clear view of his cuti-no talent mark. It was almost exactly the same as his! The only difference was that his skull was equine instead of humanoid.

One of the guards apparently lost his patience and slammed a hoof in the colt's face. And snarled at him.

"Now keep still damn you!"

Sandova felt his blood boil. No matter the circumstance guards should act respectfully to civilians. Suspected of crimes or not, this was unacceptable!

"HEY! What in nine hells do you think you're doing?"

Another guard quickly stepped in front of him.

"Sir, this is guard business. I must ask you to leave-"

"With all due respect, get thehell out of my face. I will NOT stand for this abuse."

Sandova fixed his glare on the guardspony in front of him and activated his fear aura for good measure.

"All I see here is two overgrown stallions beating up a frightened colt. So there is a crime scene and he might be a suspect, but the kid's scared out of his freaking mind! Who the hell do you think you are?"

The guard seemed to shrink before Sandova, but he couldn't break free of the furious unicorn's gaze. The other guards, however, did look up to see the commotion. The colt was still struggling however, so the guard hit him again. Sandova noticed this and pushed past the now cowering guard to intervene, but what came next froze him in place.

Around the colt's right hoof a dark haze began forming, and the colt looked at it with a panicked face.

"What's happening? Get it off!"

The guards seemed shocked as well.

"Dark magic! Take him out!"

Before anypony could protest the guards slammed their hooves against the colt's head, knocking him out. Sandova just stood there, processing what just happened. He decided to deal with one problem at a time, starting with two guards in dire need of a beating.

"Look at the brave two heroes, knocking out the dangerous mage with no regard for their own safety."

The guards looked up at Sandova, irritation etched on their faces. Sandova sneered back.

"This is none of your business sir, I suggest you move on."

Sandova laughed at him.

"Or what? You beat me into submission like that colt? Do that and I'll have your flanks fired in no time. I'm sure your superior would love to hear about your behavior."

One of the guards looked Sandova over and noticed his talent mark. His eyes widened before he fixed a serious gaze on Sandova.

"Sir, I have to ask you to come with me. Please do not resist, we're authorized to use force if needed."

Sandova noticed the change in atmosphere immediately, the fact that his friends had just gotten to the front of the crowd didn't help either.

"While I'm very tempted to see you try and subdue me, I don't want a criminal record just yet. Besides, my friends won't appreciate me humiliating two guardsponies by reducing them to the pathetic wretches they are inside, then beating them like you beat that colt. I'm sure you'll cry."

Sandova smiled venomously at the guard, but didn't do anything when they approached him. He didn't expect them to do anything, so he saw the hoof too late. As he picked himself up he prepared Ray of Enfeeblement, but the guard clicked something around his horn and Sandova felt the magic disappear. The guards then grabbed him roughly and dragged him towards the rest of the unit.

Behind him Twilight started shouting.

"Sandova, what's going on?"

He turned his head to wink at her.

"These fine gentlecolts want to talk with me in private, look for me in the guard's headquarters. I'm sure you can do a word for me."

Twilight could only stare incomprehensibly as the transformed human was dragged away, and she heard Applejack mutter under her breath.

"What trouble has that darn fool gotten himself in this time?"
~
"So mister.."

"Flash, Dawn Flash."

"Right, can you tell me what you were doing at the crime scene mister Flash?"

Sandova sighed, after he was taken to the guard HQ they put him into some kind of interrogation room, and it took half an hour before some kind of interrogator actually showed up. Honestly, this was getting more annoying by the second!

"I was looking for an hotel with my friends when we saw some commotion, I was curious and moved to the front of the crowd. There I saw two guardsponies roughing up a scared young colt, and I voiced my disapproval of that. The colt then somehow gathered negative energy around his hoof and the guards knocked him out. If they even bothered to look at the colt they could've seen that the kid was just as surprised as they were, and even more scared. They decided to beat him, and I again voiced my disagreement with them. One of the guards noticed that my talent mark looks awfully like that colt's, so he decided to bring me in for questioning. Now I'm here and I'm bored out of my mind. Can I go now?"

The guard shook his head end gave Sandova a calculating stare.

"This report, made by the guardsponies that arrested you, states that you acted 'hostile and with malicious intent'. Care to explain?"

Sandova snickered.

"Huh, must have made an impression then."

He looked to the mirror in the wall, certain that someone was watching them. Probably some scrying spell. Oh well, back to talking my way out of here.

"You see, I was angry at the time. People can say mean things when they're angry, and it has been said that I have a rather sharp tongue. So yes, my speech dripped with venom, and I did my best to scare and shame your guardsponies. No, I wasn't planning on actively hurting them unless attacked first. When they hit me AFTER I surrendered I prepared a strength sapping spell, but they put this inhibitor ring on me before it went off. Now, I'm not completely aware of all laws here, but isn't that considered abuse of power?"

The guard eyed him for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, If what you say is true then they will face punishment, if you wish to press charges that is."

"Well I do, and for me speaking the truth you can ask my friends about that, or any of the other fifty-odd witnesses. But I think my friends will be enough."

The guard shook his head again.

"I'm sorry sir, but we cannot accept witness reports made by friends of one of the suspects. It would be too easy for them to make something up."

"Even when all stories are the same? or when said witnesses are, oh you know, the Elements of Harmony."

Well that got his attention.

"Yes, my friends are the elements of harmony. See this medallion here? Made by the princesses. You have no idea who you're talking to mister."

The guard blanched, but then looked sternly again at Sandova.

"There is something else sir, the report clearly states somepony calling out to one 'Sandova', and you responded. Does this mean you gave up a false name at the start of this interview?"

Sandova merely smiled mockingly at the guard, finding some amusement in playing with him before Twilight and the others showed up.

"Oh it's an interview now, I thought this was an interrogation. And yes, 'Dawn Flash' is a fake name, and I'm afraid that my real name, species and purpose here are classified information."

The guard's eyes widened.

"species?"

Sandova just smiled.

"Oops, me and my big mouth."
~
In a dark room, something stirred.

"Ah, finally awareness. How are you dear corpse?"

The thing raised its head and looked around. It was in a small room, and besides the one talking to it the room was unoccupied. By living things at least. Along the walls it could see corpses stacked on top of each other, some ripped apart, others apparently unharmed. It looked at itself, it had hooves, wings and its blue coat was mostly gone, leaving an almost purple skin.

"If you are finished looking around I'll tell you why you're here."

The thing looked at the other occupant, but couldn't make out any details except for two glowing eyes. Strange, it could see fine in absolute darkness yet it couldn't make out the thing that talked to it.

"As you have noticed, you cannot see me. That is intentional. Now listen closely little ghast, I am your maker, and I demand obedience."

The ghast stood up and hissed, revealing a set of glittering fangs. Now it was truly awake it could feel hunger, and the thing in front of it smelled of flesh.

"How abut I eat you instead?"

The ghast was blown across the room from the blow, the thing in front of him only narrowed its eyes.

"Foolish little corpse, I made you. You are a fine example of an undead, even stronger than you future offspring because of my influence. Your physical qualities exceed mine, and my magic is mostly ineffective against you. Aiming for vitals won't help, either. In short, you don't stand a chance against me. Now I say once more, kneel."

The ghast laughed a raspy laugh at the raspy voice in front of it.

"I'll enjoy feasting on your carcass."

The ghast pounced on the shape in front of it, but a wave of force drove over it before it got close.

"I.SAID.KNEEL!"

The ghast immediately kneeled, and thus couldn't protect itself against the next blow. Before it could pick itself up it was hit again, and it slammed into the wall.

"I have absolute power, insolent wretch! Now I'll lift the curse and ask again, do you serve me?"

The ghast kept lying on the floor and thought quickly. Whatever was in front of him cursed him, but by lifting that curse he would be vulnerable! It muttered something so soft the other thing had to come closer, and then it'd tear its throat out!

It never happened though, another wave slammed into the ghast and the voice spoke again.

"Sit still."

The ghast couldn't resist the command, and sat there as the shape got closer. With a sudden growl the thing grabbed the ghast's wing, with a sickening sound the flesh started to tear. In a spray of blackened blood and a crack of bone the thing tore its right wing off and chuckled.

"Now rip off your right hoof."

The ghast immediately grabbed its right hoof and started pulling, while it couldn't feel pain the sensation of bone splintering and flesh tearing was unsettling. With a roar it tore its right hoof out of its socket, splattering the walls with more blackened blood. Then it felt the force once again leave its mind.

"Now do you understand? DO.YOU.SERVE.ME?!"

The ghast nodded.

"That's too bad, I can't use something as broken as you."

The ghast noticed the eyes getting closer, then it noticed the teeth.

Author's Note

Aand there's chapter 6! I had it planned for Friday, but the site went down, and then I was busy keeping up my social life(read: playing Warhammer and videaogames with my friends) so it took a little longer. Funny thing is, I have SO MUCH planned for this arc, but the in-between bits are hazy and take more time to write. So chapter 7 might tkae a while, or it might be posted tomorrow, I don't know.

Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed it.

Sandova out