Recompense

RecompenseXXXXXThe Hunter

I woke up to the sound of a gasp. I sat up, ready to deal with whatever was going on. My eyes saw the mare, Vinyl, holding some papers in her magical grip. My mask and Cutter were on the table. I coughed, and she gasped, moving away from me.

"Who are you? Whats with those drawings? Why do you have a mask?"

"I told you who I am, Im going to use those drawings, and I have the mask to hide my face."

She looked a bit confused at how calmly I answered those, and to the outside observer, I probably seemed calm. But inside, I was a boiling volcano. I felt the rage just waiting for a chance to be released. I surpressed those feeling for later.

"I don't appreciate the fact that you went through my things, but I can let it slide if you never speak of these again. Agreed?"

She nodded, got up, and walked out the door. Only to be forced back in by the same stallion and what I assumed to be some of his cronies. I just sat there, cool as a cucumber. Vinyl was thrown across the room, and landed on a small end table, knocking her out. I sat there and gave the stallion an uninterested look.

"Well, looks like that whore will stay with anyone."

I raised an eyebrow.

"You beat me when I was drunk, lets see how well you fare when i'm sober!"

He rushed at me, and I just sat there. He got close, and threw a punch. That ended up breaking his hoof as I met his punch with my own. I was on my hooves, now, and I was giving him the death stare. I threw another punch with my other hoof that sent him to the floor. His friends looked on in disbelief. I smirked. They rushed.

I head butted the first to me, who was thankfully not a unicorn. He stumbled back into a wall, and the second punk got an uppercut that sent him sprawling. I looked on in disgust at the trash who thought that they'd be able to fight me and win. Pathetic. I grabbed Cutter from the table and walked over to the leader, who was cradling his hoof. I kicked him in the side, snd he huffed in pain. I put my muzzle in his face.

"If I ever see you picking on a mare, or anypony for that matter, I will kill you. Now, have something to remember me by."

I took his uninjured hoof in my grip, and sliced up it for about nine inches and an inch deep, give or take. He cried out in pain, and I threw him out of my room. I did the same with his punk friends, who had watched me cut him with facination. They willingly left, but before hand, they drew something on the wall next to my door. I was about to beat thier asses, but one said "If you ever need help, we got your back. You ain't alone out here, and somepony will always be watching out for you, but I don't think you'll need it."

With that, they both left, dragging away the crying stallion. I walked out and looked at the mark, which was drawn in ink. It was a circle with a checkmark in it. I shrugged and walked back into the room to deal with the unconcious Vinyl.

XXXXXApplejack

I walked away from Shining Armour and Fluttershy, who were walking in the opposite direction to the castle, with Rarity and Pinkie. I sighed. How could anypony hurt Twilight? How could anypony kill her? And Shining Armour knew more than he let on, thats for sure.

I walked with my friends in tow, and we found the hotel. Two stallions were dragging another out of the building, and he was bleeding from a deep cut and crying. I was... Shocked to say the least. City life must be crazy. Makes me glad I live out in the country. We all just watched the two drag the wounded stallion down the street and around a corner.

"Ah wonder what that was about."

"Thats the local street gang in Canterlot. They hate Celestia, and they are everywhere. If they put some thought into it, they could form a small army." Announced Rarity. I looked at her in disbelief. A small army? Thats a lot of street trash.

"Oooh! Maybe if I throw them a party they'll be nicer!"

I turned. "Pinkie! Our best friend was just murdered yesterday, and you want to throw a party!? What is wrong with you girl?!"

She started to cry, and her hair deflated. she walked off without another word, tears in her eyes.  I tried calling her name, but she just galloped off, bawling. I growled at my own stupidity, and walked into the building.

"Darling, Shouldn't we go find the poor dear?"

"No, she'll come back after shes had a good cry. C'mon."

Rarity looked unsure, but followed me in. We walked into the building and up to the main desk. We exchanged pleasantries with the mare, whose name was Quill, and we got a room on the second floor. Room 207.

XXXXXThe Hunter

I picked her up, and set her on the couch. Vinyl had a small cut on her forehead, so I got a washcloth and wiped the blood from it. I looked at her. She was cute, not Fluttershy, but she was cute. I sighed, and walked to the small refrigerator, and got a bottle of beer that must've been left over from the past occupant. I opened it and took a sip, but it tasted like it had gone bad, so I poured the rest of it out in the sink. I kept the bottle though. Sometimes, the oddest of things come in handy.

I heard a small groan escape Vinyls mouth, and I turned to her. She was holding her head in her hoof, and grimacing.

"You won't have to worry about him, I gave him something to let him know what'll happen if he keeps up his abusive tendencies."

She looked at me with a wierd look. Then, she got up, walked over to me, and gave me a hug. I was suprised, not expecting a hug, but I regained my composure quickly, and hugged her back. She tightened her grip and I tightened mine. then I felt the tears. Fuck.

"Hey, there's no need for that. He's gone now, shhh. Shhh..."

We continued on like that for a few minutes, her holding me and crying, me cooing into her ear, trying to get her to calm down. Eventually she did, and I asked her if she was hungry.

"Yeah, I am. I never really got too much to eat when I was with Coal Heart."

"All right, well lets go. I think there's a cafe near hear."

She smiled and I led her out of the door. And Then I spotted two of the mares who were with Fluttershy. I quickly grabbed Vinyl and forced her up against the wall, and kissed her passionately, letting my black mane hang over my face. She was suprised at first, but quickly fell into rhythm. I heard the mares walk by, giggling a bit at our show, but then I heard the door to their room close. The room right next to mine.

I disengaged Vinyl, much to her dismay. "Why'd ya stop?"

I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I wasn't kissing you to kiss you, it was to hide my face from those two mares."

She raised an eyebrow. "Bad history?"

"Uhh... Yeah, lets go with that. Weren't we going to get somehing to eat?"

She nodded and led the way. I followed her out after casting a glance at the door next to mine. This'll be interesting.

XXXXXShining Armour

I led Fluttershy into the castle. When I was told about my sister, I had guards placed all over the castle. Now, they were staring at Fluttershy. I gave them a glare, and they looked away. Fluttersh was, as her name implied, shy, and under the harsh stare of my guards, she probably would have started crying or some variation of that.

We walked through the castle to the throne room, where I would bring Fluttershy to Celestia so she could be questioned. Soon we were in thee throne room where Celestia was being entertained by some... Stallions from a nearby brothel. Celestia regularly enjoyed this passtime, typically choosing one or two to share her bed.

"Your Majesty."

Her eyes left the exotic dancers and met mine. She lost her smile, and it was replaced by a frown. She waved her hoof to dismiss the dancers, which they did. "Was the rumor true? Has your sister been slain?"

I nodded, tears threatening to breach my eyes. Celestia growled, and turned her attention to Fluttershy. "My loyal subject, do you know what happened to the pegasus Rainbow Dash? I am told she was a friend of yours."

"Oh yes! Rainbow got a job at the rainbow factory! She hasn't sent a letter back, but she must've got the job."

Celestia nodded her head. "She was murdered by the very stallion that killed my student, Twilight."

Fluttershy's face made an 'O' of hurt suprise, and she ran from the throne room crying. I looked at Celestia in an exasperated fashion, and ran after Fluttersy to make sure she didn't try to leave the castle. Shooting Celestia one last glance, I saw that she had waved the dancers back in.

I shook my head and continued for Fluttershy. I ran out the doors of the throne room to see Princess Luna holding Fluttershy to comfort her. I stopped out of respect to the Princess. Fluttershy had a good five minute cry, with Luna holding her. After Fluttershy calmed down, Luna told me that she woould allow Fluttershy to share her chamber. I nodded, and walked towards the guard barracks.

Upon arrival, all the off duty guards stood at attention and saluted me.

"Officer on deck!" Shouted one of my lieutenants. "At ease. I have come to you today with something of the utmost importance. Yesterday, my sister, was murdered by a survivor of the town we attacked. He also has murdered several guards in his quest for revenge."

One of the privates spoke up. "The one whose sister was raped? I thought you shot him down into the Everfree."

Several heads nodded in agreement. "I also thought that. Unfortunately, he made it to the outskirts of Ponyville where he was healed by a resident. He then made his way to my sisters house, and cut her throat. He left a note on her body that said he'd be more than glad to finish what we started. Unfortunately for him, he is public enemy number one now, and we're going after him."

I slapped the picture of his mask that Fluttershy had drawn next to the door and walked out. The rustle of armor and spears being readied hit my ears. Music.

XXXXXThe Hunter

Vinyl and I made our way to the nearest cafe, which was some what decent. We took a seat outside, along with a few other couples of ponies. A waiter came and took our order, with me ordering a rose petal salad. Vinyl, however, suprised me with her order. 2 tomato, lettuce, and spinach sandwiches, a large order of hay fries, and 2 chocolate shakes. Dear lord.

Our order came a few minutes later, and everypony in sight simply stared in amazement as Vinyl wolfed down her food. In a matter of one minute, she managed to eat everything, save for half of a shake. I looked at her and asked "Where did you put all that?"

She blushed and said "I practice. I'm not exactly proud of it."

"I can imagine."

She smiled, and I finished my salad. The waiter returned to take our money, and she stared at all the empty plates in front of Vinyl. We payed, thanked her for the food, and left. We were heading back to the hotel, when I saw a pink pony with a pink mane that hung limply over her face, save for one eye. I turned to Vinyl.

"I have something to take care of. I'll be back to the room later." My voice was hard. Vinyl lookd at me, gulped, nodded, and started walking back. I continued to the pink pony, who had walked down an alley. Checking to make sure that nopony was looking, I pulled my mask and Cutter out of my saddle bags. The mask went on, and the knife went in my hoof.

I turned down the alley and saw... nothing? I looked around for her, my blade at the ready. Then I felt a blow to the back of my head. I was thrown into the wall and dazed. I turned and saw the pony, who now had a large cleaver in her hoof. I shook my head and stood back up. I will not be bested by a mare!

"You killed Twilight. I'm going to kill you now."

She lunged and I rolled to the side. She swung the blade, almost decapitating me, but thankfully I dogded in time. Only to catch a long diagonal cut across my mask. I growled and rushed, ready to disembowl this mare. She side stepped, but I anticipated this move. I rolled in the same direction she did, and the knife was plunged into her kidney. She hissed in pain, but kicked me away. I rolled with the kick and came up on my back hooves. She threw the blade, but I caught it and threw it back. Catching he right between the eyes.

She stumbled back, and hit the ground with a dull thud. I got out of my stance and walked to her corpse. I used my knife to open her stomach, and pulled her bowels out. What I did... I held no remorse.

I took out a paper from my bag and wrote in the mares blood 'Why can't Celestia stop me? I geuss the goddess is too busy to stop her subjects from killing each other...'

I took off my mask and placed it in the bag, along with my knife. I wiped as much blood from my coat as I could. It wasn't really noticable unless you were looking for it thankfully. I stole back to my room to take a shower.