[Fet Loch]Rogues in the Fog (PM for Invite)

[Ciraxis]

When one would ask a question 'What do you understand by the word 'trouble'.' nopony would give you the same answer.

For eldery stallion, the trouble would be reaching to the cupboard.

For Carrot Top AKA Golden Harves, the trouble were the pests preying on her carrots.

For Princess Celestia, the trouble usually took the form of powerful creature - pony or not - that threatened the whole realm.

And yet some things remained consistent. Big figures had to deal with big troubles, and they usually happened in big cities. The opposite also held true.

Except not always. There were always exceptions.

Like in this story.

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Swift Squall woke up.

As mundane as that sounded, it was unusual for him. Until recently, unicorns awakenings were in for of springing from the bed, all sweaty after being tormented by nighmares.

This still happened from time to time, but thanks to help of two winged mares, it wasn't an every night occurrence anymore. Squall wiped his eyes with his fetlocks and glanced at the cloak. It was past 2 AM, the middle of the night, and the white one at that, since Squall could hear the foghorn in the distance. It was necessity, Fet Loch was situated next to one of Equestria biggest lakes, one who also happened to be transportation route. Recently there were even talks about building a small lighthouse to make the ferrying safer - all of this because of the Loch whimsical weather.

Swift wasn't feeling sleepy anymore however, instead he decided to make short walk - maybe moving some muscles will make him tired enough for sleep again. Pulling on his dark brown duster, and strapping a trusted sword to his side, the stallion made his way to the inn downstairs. Predictably not many were up at this hour....only two ponies actually, and even this for the certain definitions of 'up'.

One of the was inn patron, now snoring on the table after having too much hard cinder. A second one was of course the barmare. Amusingly enough - as Squall recalled - barmares happened to be Loch most famous 'export products' - with thick husky accent, patience, knowledge of brews and usually curvy build one could see why.

"I am going for the walk." he murmured to the mare. In all due honesty it wasn't her business really. Swift paid for the whole week of stay and whatever he did during that time was his deal only. However good manners - as little as swordpony had them - demanded to a least say where you go.

As he got outside, his suspicions that were confirmed, it was indeed very foggy today and Squall could only see a few meters before his at best. Thankfully the streets of the town were labeled very clearly so he held no risk of getting lost.

As he walked down the shroud covered streets Swift noticed how quite it was. He immediately became glad that he wrapped his hooves in the pieces of cloth before he left the room. Breaking the silence with his clopping would make him uncomfortable.

And then he noticed silhouette in the fog. Stallion senses were immediately brought to full readiness. Was it REA patrolled? No, this shade didn't walked like that - it seemed wary instead, it's moves carefuly measured. Maybe it was one of the ponies that Squall was looking for! Unfortunately a sneaking figure seemed to notice Squall presence too, quickly disappearing deeper into the fog. Swift cussed quietly at himself, he should be more careful, hiding himself just as he noticed the shadow. What a wasted opportunity.

Knowing that following this 'phantom' would be futile, Swift turned back. Making his was back to the inn he returned to his room, crashed onto the bed and fell into uneasy sleep.

[moonshineTheleocat]

Java had been outside working for the majority of his time. His stay at Fet Loch was originally for vacation, but like the workaholic he was, he was rarely truly away from work. But when it came time for a break, he was out and about at night taking a calm stroll through the streets. His hooves echoing off the stones with each step he had taken. The fog was thick in the air. An easy biproduct of being located near a large source of water in a cool night. And very few ponies were openly traveling the streets. It wasn't an uncommon sight for Java, as few ponies kept for the strange bat like ponies he see's back home in Canterlot did the same.

“Nice and calm peaceful day...” He thought to himself with a smile. His eyes darting up to the moon that was supplying a light limelight that lit the dark and foggy town. Being a night owl of a pony, he wasn't too scared of the dark. Even when other ponies spoke of rumors of phantoms or ghost wandering around the streets. To him, it's just an old tale people use to scare others off. Even when he saw what looked like hooded figures wondering through the night, he paid them no mind. They easily could have been any pony off on a stroll. But the hoods were always suspicious. Normally they are used if it's raining, not fogy. Especially when they can impair one's vision with the shroud they supply.

[Ciraxis]

Swift woke up after a few more hours of uneasy sleep. After washing up his face and brushing the teeth, he walked down just as he did last night.

There was a barmare behind a counter, but a different one then the last night. That was natural of course - in this inn there were three barmares working in shifts. Squall couldn't help but notice that of the all three, this one would be the most in type of his best friends taste.

Not that Dunder wouldn't flirt with the other two. Pegasus stallion actually hit on any pretty mare he meet. It was a part of his charm, the piece that made him likable but also gave him a lot of anguish. Dunder was wayward when it came to feelings, the flaw that made him hurt both himself and the mare that he romanced. Swift had suspicion that Blusty either loved all mare equally, or on some level was afraid to commit himself to serious relationship - the two times he tried so far it ended...badly.

Nevertheless, while Squall wouldn't count for Dunders to marry anytime soon, he would certainly trust him when it came to watching unicorn's hide. After suspiciousness events last night - and even some before it - noblepony started to wish his buddy would be here.

When he exited the inn, moon was still up there, although it would the time for a daybreak soon. Somewhere in the fog however, he saw another silhouette of the pony!

This time however Squall was ready, his hooves were wrapped in pieces of cloth to muffle his hoofsteps.

Being trained in Honor Guard had it perks, while it wasn't level of stealth that REIN would provide, Swift managed to follow this pony by quickly moving from shadow to shadow. As soon as this figure stopped while facing away from unicorn, he intercepted it.....

Only to notice it wasn't the kind of pony Squall was looking for. Well wasn't that a disappointment.

"....Again." he muttered. It wasn't suspicious pony at all. Well at last not that kind of suspicious that swordpony was looking for. This guy looked like some kind of mad scientist/engineer on holiday. As he walked past him however, Squall could fell a small crumble hit his cheek. Noticing it was a cement he looked up...

To see a whole chimney - in the form of rain of bricks - falling on him, and by proxy this Earth Pony he was next to.

Swift acted instinctively, he grabbed the black maned stallion into his magical grasp and literally thrown both of them out of harms way.

Quickly rolling back onto his hooves unicorn asked "You alright?" before shifting his attention back to the rooftop.

There was hooded figure standing there!

"Not allowing you away this time!" Squall hissed and rushed into the chase.