The Godmare: Only Personal

The sun sat behind the large Fillywood sign as Spike exited the train. The city in question was under control of the Crociato's, ancient Equestrian for crusaders. The four used to be such happy fillies, two of which were dear sisters to two of the Scintillare family members, Applejack and Rarity. While they are indeed the youngest of the families, their leader only being 23, they are also one of the most ruthless. Cast into the life by their sisters' carelessness in joining Twilight, they had no remorse for what they did.

Spike tipped his hat to a mare as she stepped onto the train after him, walking steadily to a taxi that had been paid to wait for him. He had been in the strange new creations many times before, as they were no doubt a very good transportation. Still, he had no trust or love for them. The steering wheel was a round device that had two grooves for the hooves to go into, allowing manipulation of the device. The gas was applied by a lever that was pushed with the right rear hoof, the brake being the same but on the right. As for the changing of the gears, it was done automatically by magic infused into the engine.

"Mr. Mason's residence please." The stallion nodded to him through the rear view mirror and slowly made the vehicle go forward, creaking as it did so. Spike viewed out the window as they made their way through the bustling streets of the city of Fillywood. The city was very high in crime, but not from that of the Crociato's. No, it was high in crime from the swindling of the corrupt filmmakers and music producers. Ponies would come from far and wide, giving up everything they had before to have their chance on the radio or big screen. Each time, only getting shot down by the very ponies that promised them a good life.

Spike sighed as he thought of what would happen to Mr. Mason should he deny the Don's kind offer. Twilight was not one to take refusal kindly, often resorting to violence should it happen. Every time, it had worked and scared the receiver into doing what she willed. Still, he just wished that for once, somepony would listen to reason. Listen to his pleas to hear her out, for he feared what she was becoming.

"So, you going to try and get a music deal going with Mr. Mason? Never heard of a dragon singer before, but I suppose anything is possible in this day and age. I mean, I'm driving a fancy automobile!"

"Something like that. More like I'm a spokesman for somepony else, a mare."

"Oh? Is she any good? My daughter loves those mare singers."

"Ever hear of Octavia?"

"Oh, you're her spokesman? You're pretty lucky to be working for a mare like that. I heard she recently got dropped by her current producer..."

"Yes, terrible business that. I'm pretty sure that Mr. Mason will accept my offer though. I'm very persuasive."

"That's good. My daughter loves her music." Spike returned to looking out the window as they neared a large mansion  surrounded by a tall metal gate. Obviously he had trouble with break ins, because there were guards surrounding the mansion.

"Thank you for the ride." Spike reached into his jacket and pulled a bag of bits out. Handing them to the driver, he exited into the evening air and neared the front gate. "Mr. Mason is expecting me." The guard pulled a small notebook from his jacket and checked it. Normally, he would have confirmed, but it wasn't necessary considering he was the only dragon around.

"Go right on in. He's about to sit down to dinner."

"Thank you." The guard opened the gate, allowing the dragon access to the courtyard. The manor was of great construct, being made from the finest of stones. It was all he could do to help himself from admiring the windows expertly crafted into the sides of the walls, the trimmings of the corners and roof. The front door itself was a marvelous work of art, having a beautiful carving encompassing the front of it. Almost feeling as if he was violating a work of art, he knocked on the door. Moments later, he was greeted by a maid.

"Hello, there."

"Might I come in?" He removed his hat and placed it against his chest.

"Of course. Mr. Mason is eagerly awaiting your counsel. May I take your coat and hat?"

"Yes, please." Her removed his tailored jacket, which was made to suit the dragon only, and his hat, made from the finest of fabrics. Handing it to the unicorn, she gently and swiftly placed them on a coat and hat rack, and then showed the dragon to Mr. Mason. Upon seeing the dragon, he stood from his set and walked over to him.

"Ah, hello. I'm Agley Mason. I take it you are the one sent from Ponyville?"

"Yes, Mr. Mason. My name is Spike."

"Spike, eh? Please, call me Agley. Come, I had a seat reserved for you."

"You too kind, Mr. Ma-Agley."

"Please, sit. I prefer to discuss business like a gentlecolt." Spike nodded to the silver pony and took a seat across from him. As he observed over the cuisine, it became obvious that he was from the Crystal Empire from up north. Very few ponies came from up there, as it was the pinnacle of peace and prosperity. Even the technology made the mainland look primitive. The Crystal Empire was also the head of the government, the leader of everything being none other than the previously unknown Alicorn, Princess Cadence. She had apparently been kept away from the families by her adoptive parents in the Crystal Empire until about three years previous.

"I've never had the honor of enjoying your cuisine. I've heard only good things." He picked up a nearby fork and moved the food before him around a bit before picking up a piece and chewing it.

"Thank you for the compliment." Spike wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"What is it made from?"

"Only the finest of vegetables and fruits. None of that meat that you ponies so love down here. Of course, I can say I enjoy the Spaghetti you all have down here. Anyways, I don't believe this meeting is of a food critics, now is it?"

"You're right. Now, recently you turned down a mare named Octavia after promising her a job. She is extremely upset by this, since her previous producer dropped her upon hearing of this."

"Ah, yes. Unfortunate business that. But she needs to understand, I never guaranteed her a job. It was unfortunate what happened to her, but it's none of my concern."

"Surely you can take some responsibility? She's young, very talented. But we both know, she won't make it without a producer."

"Like I said, I didn't intend this for her. But I'm also not going to offer her something from me just feeling sorry for her! That's not how the world works. I worked for what I have and she must do the same. Would you have me sully my name if she isn't up to par?"

"I'm not asking that. I'm only asking you give the poor mare a chance. I promise you, she won't-" Spike revolted a tiny bit as Agley stood from his chair.

"Now you listen here! I won't risk my good name for some two-bit mare that thinks she can sing! Now, you go back to this 'Don' of yours and tell her I won't listen to any of her threats! Nor will I listen to some dragon who thinks he can solve everything with a silver tongue!" Spike simply chewed his food as the pony yelled at him. "Now, I implore you to leave my home immediately." Spike stood from his chair and nodded to the pony.

"Thank you very much for the dinner, Mr. Mason. If you're driver could arrange for a ride, the Don likes to hear bad news immediately." The maid brought him his coat and hat, which he immediately placed on. "Your house is very nice, by the way."

"Get out of my sight." The stallion opened the front door, prompting Spike to leave. "And if I see any of your friends snooping around here, you'll have the full wrath of the Crystal Empire on you!" Spike entered a nearby car, where a driver took him to the train station. He was of course sad that he had been denied a chance to negotiate, but knew that it could not be helped. Mr. Mason had a reputation of being a stubborn stallion, so it was now on Twilight's hooves to do as she willed.

Upon arriving at the station, Spike neared a telephone and turned the dial, calling Twilight. "He refused the offer."

"I see... Come on home, Spike. It saddens me that he wouldn't listen to reason." The other end clicked as Twilight hung up. Moments later, the train arrived, allowing Spike to get on. It would be morning before he arrived, so he would have time to sleep. His part of the job was over.

"Spike couldn't get through to the stubborn fool." She had immediately called Applejack, who was sent to Fillywood immediately after the wedding in case Spike couldn't get through. "Do it."

"You sure this is what you want to do?"

"He didn't give me any choice."

"Understood." Applejack hung up the phone. She was across the street from the Mason manor, the guards patrolling around the border. She was currently wearing a completely black sports jacket, along with her usual cowboy hat. She normally didn't wear the fancy attire that her friends wore while on the job, instead just wearing the usual black pants with a shirt. While ponies used to walk around without any clothes on, it just wasn't how the world worked anymore.

She waited until the southern wall was devoid of guards, scaling it using her rope that she carried with her all the time. Once she landed on the other side, she ducked behind a bush as a guard looked at what caused the noise. When he came by to see what the noise was, Applejack popped from behind the bushes and wrapped her rope around the guard's throat. She was under strict orders to kill nopony, so she instead just choked him until he passed out.

Hiding the guard behind the bushes, she darted across the courtyard, barely avoiding being spotted by the guard on the above balcony. The moment he turned away, she swiftly moved behind the house, where Mr. Mason kept his phoenix, a rare bird that cost him around 1,000,000 bits to purchase. He loved the thing more than anything else he owned. So much that he even built and entire guest house just for it to live in.

She slowly opened the door to the guest house, sneaking in, the door closing behind her. Luckily, the room didn't seem to have an guards in it. Even better, the bird in question was perched on the back of a couch, asleep. She crouched down and slowly crawled her way to the bird. Before it even have a chance to squawk in protest, Applejack whacked it on the head, knocking it out cold. A slight frown on her face, she picked it up and made her way to the main house.

She continued through the house, choking guards out as she passed them. Finally, she found herself outside of Mr. Mason's room. Opening the door, she saw the pony sleeping in his silk sheets. She unstrapped the unconscious bird from her back and placed it quietly on the ground. She didn't want to do the next part, as harming innocent animals was on her list of things to never do, but she knew she had to. Even though Twilight would never punish her for failing, Applejack never liked to see her friend disappointed in her.

With a quiet sigh, she threw her rope silently over the stallion's bed on the chandelier above, careful not to wake him. She had tied her rope into a noose, intended for hanging the phoenix above him. When he woke, he would be greeted by the sight of his beloved animal hanging dead above him. Of course, that wasn't it...

"Sorry, sugarcube." She grabbed the small bird by it's wing and placed a knife firmly against the bone connecting the wing to it's body. With a swift swipe, the wing came off. She did the same with the other wing, then wrapped the modified noose around it's neck. After she was sure it wouldn't fall of the noose, she pulled the other end of rope, causing the bird to suspend over the bed. Applejack, looking back once more at the innocent Phoenix she just murdered, exited the room and snuck back out of the manors grounds through the way she came. Going back to the phone, she called Twilight once more.

"It's done."

"Good. I know it was hard to do, but you've made the family proud."

"Yeah, I did." She hung the phone up and looked back across the street. Regret deep in her heart, she made her way back to the train station.

The sun shone brightly into Agley's bedroom. He smiled as he opened his eyes to the sun shining on his face. With a yawn, he began to get out of his bed. Confusion hit him as he felt a rather large wet area around his midsection. Looking down, he saw a puddle of thick blood on the top of his blanket. With horror, he slowly looked up. The moment he saw his prized Phoenix, he let out a bloodcurdling scream, the likes of which the entire town could hear.