Revolution: A Hoof in the Dark (Open)

[Valencetiger]

...time passes me by, it seems. Equestria has turned out to be stronger than ever, due to the foundation of the Federation five years ago...it surprises me that today is our fifth anniversary. Could it really have been that long...? Yes, I suppose it has. I did what I thought was right...and I left all my friends behind. What sort of loyalty did I ever, truly, possess...?

Those solemn words kept ringing in the masked pony's head all day, drowning out the music in the chaotic streets below her balcony, and shattering the eerie peace in her mind. Her light-blue wings furled around her body in an attempt to ward off the frigid morning air, which could cause shivers in the hardiest of ponies. A fitting weather indeed, for her mood was just as icy as the sky was today, which was blocked by a gloomy sheet of gray clouds. Despite the conditions, the citizens of Equinia cantered through the city in celebration of this momentous day. Ever since her leader's revolution, Equestria has become a source of strength...a powerful country, like it was supposed to be. She was proud, excited, invigorated by the achievement. However...why did she feel so miserable? Maybe it was because-

"Chancelor Dash...our leader has arrived." The voice came from an armored stallion, who stood waiting at the door behind the balcony. His voice was quiet as always, nothing different about the pony who she knew never said much. "Thank you, Big Macintosh. At least...I can still rely on you." The pegasus official murmured, earning an appreciative nod from Big Macintosh as he left her once more. Raising her wings, she folded them at her sides and strided out from the balcony in a confident manner. Might as well get this over with...

After several minutes of walking the mansion's bleak hallways, the pony finally arrived at the meeting chamber in which she would speak with the Grand Equestrian Fedaration's leader. With a deep breath, she pushed open the carved wooden doors and went inside. The large room was dimly lit by low-powered light bulbs, with a large rectangular black table in its center. Along the sides of the table stood cushioned chairs, each identical and lined up perfectly. At the far end of the table sat a pony wrapped up in red cloth, the only part of her face and body revealed were its horn and dark violet eyes. As the chancelor sat down at the other side, she removed her mask and revealed her face.

"...greetings, Chancelor Rainbow Dash. I take it that your position has been quite...rewarding?" The mysterious pony's voice betrayed nothing to its identity, for it bore no resemblance to any gender or emotion, a blank noise that possessed little soul. With a shiver, Rainbow Dash responded with a nod, watching the red-garbed pony with a mixture of fear and admiration.

"Yes, Red Fox...the administration you have given me is unlike any responsibility I ever had...I thank you for the honor."She knew her words were hollow, but the answer seemed to appease the dangerous unicorn in front of her. A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead, feeling like a sliver of ice on her coat.

"...yes, I am sure you are." The Red Fox got up from the seat, as two ponies emerged from the shadows in the rooms corner, both wearing the GEF's fire-like insignia and wearing clothing as black as midnight. "I have a job for you, Chancelor Dash. These...Loyalists...have became a thorn in my flank. I want you to eliminate them with extreme prejudice. Also...keep an eye on that Free fellow in Blackwatch Prison...I've heard disturbing rumors about him, and it would be rather poor if he escaped, wouldn't you agree?" Rainbow Dash gulped, nodding dumbly as the Red Fox skirted past her. Now, the frightened pegasus' eyes were locked on the two black-clothed ponies. Where did they come from...?! She thought the Red Fox disbanded the Shade Corps after the war was over...but it seemed like that never occurred. Shivering at the memories of what the Shade Corps had done during the revolution, she felt like she was trapped in a den of dragons.

"...Equestria belongs to me...and soon every creature in this land will understand that. Even those Loyalist fools. Enjoy the rest of the day, Chancelor...and manage my beautiful capital well." Without another word, the Red Fox and its two escorts left the room, leaving Rainbow Dash quivering by herself. Suddenly, the pegasus burst into tears, weeping pitifully, with her sobs echoing throughout the room.

"...Oh, Fluttershy...Rarity...Applejack...Pinkie Pie...Twilight...I'm so sorry for what I've done...!" Little did the chancelor know that Big Macintosh stood outside the door, listening in on the pegasus. With a firm and angry face, he stomped away from the door...for he had a job to do, if only to help the one pony who was left from his past.

(OOC: Alright! Let us begin this fiesta of an RP, shall we? This post is to simply serve as a start to the RP, not meant for anypony to reply to. I hope this little bit didn't mind-blow any of you )

[sevofthesands]

(i wanna join but i have no idea what to post..)

[Valencetiger]

(OOC: Well, you need to check out my OOC thread...once you get an understanding, submit a quick app)

[FermataTheBasse]

Deep in the underbelly of Equina, a lonely mare sat in a languor on the stoop of a dingy building packed into a the corner of a lonely street leading to nowhere. Those who did not prosper, who were forgotten for whatever reason, these streets were where they hid, away from the power and splendor of the most powerful alliance Equestria had ever known. Most lived with no hope, no dreams, no recollection of the past. They were the minority, those who didn't benefit from their leader's possibly benevolent rule. There was perhaps a single mare among them who still clung to something, as far away and dreamlike as that something was, and she was the mare sitting on the stoop of the dingy building packed into the corner of one lonely street leading to nowhere. She slowly rose to her hooves. Time to go... nowhere.

Her hooves echoed silently on the stone, each sound a small click that didn't get far before it was muffled by the buildings and apathy that surrounded all life in the slums. Nopony wandering the streets bothered to glance at her. She had a pale pink coat, her cutie mark on each side of her flank had seemingly been burned until unrecognizable. She wore a simple beat up saddle that closed tight over most of her midriff, hiding her wings from view though the pressure hurt and she would take off the saddle sometimes to find her wings shriveled from lack of blood flow. Her horn, once a proud and majestic species, had been filed down over time into a rounded nub. Her mane had once had many beautiful colors, but over time it had been bleached into one, a dull cream. Nopony save a few would ever recognize that this pathetic specimen of a mare had once been Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, one of the few possible heirs to the throne. And that was a good thing, that nopony would recognize her. Besides the buildings and apathy, a sort of oppression surrounded her specifically. If she ever was revealed...

Because she was now the only possible heir to the throne. Cadence had been on a honeymoon with Shining Armor in Las Pegasus when the first battle reports had come in. He had gone back, forced her to stay put. Cadence for a time afterwards had wished she had gone. But regret was long gone. The only thing she had left was her own life, and the sliver of hope that her husband was perhaps out there somewhere. He had to be. He had to be. Had had had to be!!

Cadence was suddenly tearing up, her lower lip trembling. Her thoughts were now hardly coherent. Her husband, her aunts and all the morbid graphic imagery that came with them. Battles. Images flashed through her head at random, working her up even more. She had no control suddenly, she was bawling as if she were a little foal screaming for her mother. She was even actually whimpering for her mother. Her hooves stomped, flailed about randomly. Cadence was throwing a full on tantrum, not an ounce of the dignity she had once held expressed. Her random breakdowns were so common that nopony even bothered to look. They were used to the 'crazy crying lady'. They were perhaps vaguely amused by the crazy crying lady, wondering where she had come from. Ponies melted into the slums, so any pony with any ounce of personality- even if it was habitual crying- drew attention. Had she been beautiful once? Nopony wanted to ask. It took too much energy to ask.

Cadence calmed down as suddenly as she had started, her tears virtually vanishing in a second. Her thoughts once more rational, she remembered hearing that Rainbow Dash was a member of the Federation now. As if there couldn't be any more bad news. Cadence almost wanted to hate Rainbow Dash for going that far, for spitting on the memory of her aunties... But no, Cadence couldn't hate anypony. She couldn't give in to the enemies ways.

And yet, it was increasingly obvious that she simply had to, if she was to have any chance. Cadence walked on in silence, walked on to nowhere.

[NurseRedheart]

(Well... I'm intimidated )

[Valencetiger]

(Well... I'm intimidated )

(OOC: Hehe...I got quite alot of mind-blows later on in the RP. So...if you ponies want to see them, we gotta keep this thing moving )

[ONWARDconwardicus]

((OOC: If i applied in the OOC discussion, can i go in?))

[Valencetiger]

Pain. So much pain...it seemed to encircle him, embrace him...he had never felt such internal strife in his life. The grizzled, elder stallion gazed about the slums of Equinia with a sad expression, knowing that many of the ponies here were broken in either spirit or body...or even both. Those who lived here were relatives of soldiers who fought in the Royal Equestrian Army, cast away from society like mangy curs and left to die. Every time he came down here to see them, his heart clenched and his vision narrowed. Such pain...it truly was saddening. Everywhere else, ponies and non-ponies alike were celebrating the Grand Equestrian Federation's fifth anniversary...but here, the ponies who deserved more, happier lives...wallowed in their own tears and false hopes.

Every day, he came down here to hand out food to the sick and hungry, as a way to apologize and repent for his own sins against these ponies. He considered them his family...being retired REA, and all. However, he had retired long before the actual revolution took place, so the GEF bore him no ill will. Shaking his head, the unicorn continued to pass through the streets, passing on words of faith and morsels of food from the large, heavy sacks on his side. The ponies here had given him a name, one he relished and enjoyed...the "Saint of Equinia". He never considered himself in such a way, but it warmed his heart to be thought of in that view.

No, his real name was Gladius Vigil. During the war, he had remained out of the conflict and served at his hometown of Ponyville, training their militia for the coming rebels. However, at the time of the Everfree Skirmish, he gave the order to retreat away from the two approaching armies, for he knew they would be destroyed if caught in the middle, just as surely as their town was. Drifting away into those memories, he withdrew into his mind as his body continued his work by itself.

When his sacks were nearly empty and he had nearly reached the end of his route did he see a pale-looking mare weeping on the street a little bit ahead of him. Something about her seemed eerily...familiar...but he couldn't place a hoof on why. Approaching, Gladius knelt beside the mare and looked down in concern- "...young miss...please, cease your tears." He patted her gently on her back, trying to calm her down. "...I know things are difficult, but you must stay strong...what is your name?"

[sevofthesands]

Draco with his cloak that covered most of him on walked through Equinias Gates he hated himself for his wings ... for what happened to his mother... for not joining a militia with the rest... he had traveled to Equinina to try and figure out his purpose in life. to make something of himself he sighed with his head down when a sudden wind blew making his wings visible for a brief second to somepony at the right angle.

he continued on his way unsure of how to proceed or where to as anypony will probably discriminate against him..

(so inadacuate compared to the others...)

[TheBritishBrony]

The stallion took another hoof to the face, grinning and laughing as he did. The interrogater leaned back, as a speck of blood dripped from the prisoners lower lip. The prisoner looked up to his sides, his arms were in chains, nearly suspended in midair. They hurt. Of course they hurt. He had just learnt not to care. "So then........... Shall we repeat our daily routine then? You scumbags take your horrible life out on me, while I still refuse to tell you nothing?" The prisoner chuckled, tilting his head at the interrogator. The interrogator punched him in the stomach as hard as he could. "Hah! You boys are getting good!" The prisoner coughed. The prisoners name was Free Quickhoof. Many looked down upon him, more wanted him dead. The 'session', or what those GEF scumbags liked to call a failed interrogation, lasted another hour or so, before they finally gave up, yet again failing to gain any information out of the rebel leader. And so they picked him up, led him down that same corridor, opened those same cell bars......... Free could really care less. But this time, somepony was waiting for him in his cell. "No wait, lemme guess. Some crazy-flank phsychiatrist, convinced that i'm insane." Of course he knew who it was. The hooded pegasus turned to his cohorts and quietly shood them away. Free sat on the bench, looking over at the pegasus. "What news from the front?" He asked his spy.

After about an hour of conversation, Free wrapped it up with a conclusion. "So we lost the slums in Trottingham and Appleloosa. But we gained a foot near New Manehatten. And the dragons and gryphons are open to negotiations. Good, good. I think it will soon be time for me to, say 'spread my wings', as you pegasi put it. Tomorrow will do. Ready the troops." The pegasus then nodded, got up and left without a word, as if he had never existed. The RLF may not have had the best soldiers, but it had some darn good spies. Free knelt down slowly, grunting with pain. He pressed his ear to the cold concrete floor, before finding his spot. Checking there were no guards nearby, the stallion slowly lifted the tile up, taking out the contents of his secret safe carefully. Within lay a map of equinia and the prison he was in, a small knife, and a bottle of powerful mead, that would sink even the most adamant ponies with a few gulps. Of course, Free didn't get drunk off of it, something that had one him a lot of money back in his days as a soldier. He took a few greatful swigs, relishing the taste, before placing it back in his safe quietly, and sealing the tile back into place.

Soon enough, it came to lunch time in the prison. Free would normally sit on his own, but this time he sat next to a few old soldiers of his that had ended up the same way as him. "Spread the word. Tomorrow, we are free." The whispers spread like wildfire, everypony in the room now casting nervous glances at the stallion. Soon enough, the whole room was beginning to chant the words 'free, free, free' over and over again. It was an unnerving sight for the guards indeed. Free however, ignored it all, lost in his thoughts. "Tomorrow." He whispered to himself, staring blankly into space. "Tomorrow we take back Equestria." The stallion whispered, a small smile creeping across his face.

(Batman style )

[Valencetiger]

(Hehehe...you know that he's going to fail in this first attempt, correct? Not his escape, but the "take back Equestria" deal? It would be too easy if you guys simply won the day before the first 100 posts, lol.)

A small group of guards wearing the GEF insignia appeared from the corridor, their faces cold masks with no expression. At their center stood Big Macintosh, whose eyes remained locked onto the pony he had been searching for. The infamous Free Quickhoof...what a joke. This was the pony that Chancelor Dash was supposed to keep an eye on...? It made him laugh on the inside. He pointed at the rebel with a large hoof, two of the guards approaching the table Free sat at.

Big Mac turned a dark glare on the other prisoners, a look they had come to fear and made many of them quiver in terror. Big Mac had lost his entire family because of the blindness of the Royals...and it was that loss that turned him into the brutal GEF agent he was today. Oh, yes...the Loyalists had competent spies. That was true. However, their network paled in comparison to that of the Red Fox's agents. When the guards arrived at the table, the other ponies stepped away to avoid them. As one, they grabbed Free by the arms and dragged him over to Big Macintosh, who stared deep into the rebel's eyes.

"...you are Free? Such an...ironic...name." With a snort, he turned on the prisoner and led the procession out of the cafeteria. A few minutes later, they would arrive at their destination. It was the strange, new chamber that the prisoners had seen being worked on the past few months, and with a dark grin, Big Mac ordered the guards to throw Free inside, following into the room afterward and sealing it shut behind him.

"Now, we are alone."

[fireraven23]

(I don't think I can type this much, but I'll try XD)

Laughs. The dusty old room was filled with the sound of laughs. Crazy, lonely, sadistic laughs. Everything made this pony giggle. Those clouds. The metal. THE DUST! It was so hilarious! Broken Mind's throat was so sore from all the laughing he did. In summary, this pony likes laughing. He worked on, worked and worked, almost at the rate of his laughing, putting together old pieces of metal to create armors and weapons, and being sure to laugh at his results. So many ponies that need protection, so little time. He put the equipment down. He wanted to see all the funny things in the room again.

The first thing he went to was the old, blurry mirror. He, of course, laughed at it's reflection. A pony who appeared much older than him laughed back. That long, unkept mane, gray from shock... That yellow, dirty fur... Those old glasses, much too small for him, without any lenses, and those crazy blue eyes behind them... It was all so funny! He turned to stare at the wall. Nopony else seemed to notice it. He loved the insects he believed he saw. Scurrying across, some visible, others under the wall. It was even funnier when they came with him! Where to go next, it's like a comedy club here!

Broken Mind walked over to the window. He looked down at the old abandoned building he was in. It was previously an orphanage. Abandoned houses were easiest for him to live in. Every time he tried to buy his own house, it ended with security chasing him. He never liked them, so he would always run as fast as he could. He was happy to see that no one was even attempting to fix this, or buy this. He looked down the street. There was a funny mare, looked like she was laughing very hard. And some stallion talking to her. He thought of a fun activity! He walked over to his desk, and grabbed a weapon. From what he saw, he pressed a button, and whatever it was pointing at would die. He went to the window, and aimed...

DANG! Fell apart. Needed to be repaired. He needed to work. He returned to his bench, working aimlessly with no real purpose in mind, waiting for the other Loyalists to pick up their weapons and armor.

[ONWARDconwardicus]

Loyalty. He had none. Whatever was worth it is gone. Bravery. He had none. You need fear and direction for that. Purpose. That is what war is about.

The Equestioner readied his dagger and made two more thin, surface slices into his prisoner. He heard a whimper, but he knew that would not matter to what he was about to do. He turned to his young (too young) assistant and said, "Seems I win the game of tic-tak-toe." Indeed, a game of tic-tak-toe had been played on the skin of the shaved prisoner. The Equestioner then gouged a rend through the three Xs in a diagonal, and the prisoner screamed with fire equal to that which was pouring out of his body. As his last act against the pony, he whispered in his ear, "Thank you for your compliance." And slid the dagger into his head through the lower jaw. The body remained as it had been: Constrained on a cold wooden table with iron clamps to keep them from struggling.

He then turned to the quivering prisoner on the next rack. The Equestioner smiled to him. Not a smile of remorse, nor pity. More of a smile that a child has when he has discovered a devious game. "I was already done with him." He stated. "But your head seems full of bright and new information."

He sharpened the dagger, removing the stains. "Lets talk about it, shall we?"

((OOC: PM me if too descriptive))

[Valencetiger]

(OOC: ...Oh my...I can't even comment...)

Snowthorn watched the Equestioner's work from above with distaste, the only thing blocking out the smell of fresh gore was the glass between him and the torture chamber. It was a gruesome, dirty practice...but necessary. What he found unnecessary was the way this...psycho...went about his job. It made him shudder at the way he treated these prisoners, as if their lives meant nothing. It was ponies like the Equestioner here that gave the Royal Liberation Front the look of radical fanatics...which was awfully bad for recruitment.

Drowned in his private thoughts, the earth pony stallion never heard the approach of the RLF messenger pony, who tapped his shoulder and made him jump. Scowling at the messenger, he waited patiently as the message was whispered into his ear, his eyes widening every word. After nodding that he understood the message, he sent the pony away, putting on a face-mask as he climbed down to the torture chamber below. He entered inside, glancing at the newly fresh corpse and the upcoming victim with pity, then at the Equestioner.

"...Free is breaking out of Nightwatch Prison tomorrow. We are going to take the rest of our cell and meet him there."

[FermataTheBasse]

Cadence's cadence of an apathetic walk towards nothing in particular was interrupted by the appearance of an elder stallion; he probably older than even she was, and by the looks of it definitely more experienced. Cadence tilted her head up at him, her eyes dull. It was rare that ponies actually tried to talk to her here in the slums, normally everypony was left to stew in their own messed up emotions until they wasted away into a mockery of life. Cadence wiped the last few tremulous tears from her eyes with a hoof and put on a dull smile that was more teeth than anything else.

[colour=#ee82ee]"I'm Fermata." [/colour][colour=#000000]It was the assumed name Cadence had given herself long before, when she had first stumbled upon a hiding place in the capital, and had stuck with ever since. [/colour][colour=#ee82ee]"I'm sorry, sir." [/colour][colour=#000000]She didn't know what else to say, really. She was sort of expecting the stallion to up and walk away, now that his curiosity was satisfied. [/colour]

[Valencetiger]

With a sigh, Gladius shook his head sadly. "There is no need to apologize, Miss Fermata. Come with me, you look like you could use a place to rest for a short while." Without asking, he helped Fermata onto her hooves, lifting her up with his sides. Why was a mare, who was still so young, like this...? It sickened Gladius...not the mare herself, but at the fact she had ever gotten to such a state. The cursed GEF...it didn't matter what they did for the other 90% of Equestria, nopony should forget about the ones who were in most need.

"Please, follow me. We shouldn't tarry longer than needed. My name is Gladius...but you can simply call me Glad." He gave a warm smile, in hopes of lightening the mare's mood. Letting her lean on him, he led her away from the other ponies who watched them with gaping jaws and shocked faces.

[ONWARDconwardicus]

((OOC: I honestly don't know where that came from. I usually can't even write a paragraph. Anyways, stay away from any cupcakes he gives you ))

The Equestioner nodded. A fight. A prison. A chance of finding Reina. That he could do. Not that he had any choice under command and everything. Just that he would take more pleasure in the combat this time. "I'll be right out." He knew she probably wasn't still alive. But the key word there was probably. That small chance kept him driven and partially sane. When that chance was gone, he would make the GEF gone too. As much damage he could do would be amassed, and living it out would create even more destruction. He thought all this while telling his apprentice to do the usual with the prisoner. Keep him locked there. Shave him every day with a rusty blade. Give him a bowl of soggy bread water at every noon. And most importantly, keep him as conscious as possible.

He went to his footlocker where his, what the others called "unnatural", armor was kept. Hardened hide allowed him to move faster than the others, while still providing stopping power from swords and other weapons. He strapped himself up with his magic and looked at his most prized possession, wrapped in his cloth that only he knew existed. A weathered portrait of Reina and him on their first date. He kissed it (Glad no one looks at me) for good luck, picked up his short sword, and came out of the busy barracks. He looked at the direction they were about to march. He dared them to wait. He just dared them.

[TheBritishBrony]

(yep, free knows he will almost definitely fail first try.)

Free sighed as he was thrown into the dark room, which he assumed was a new interrogation room of some type. "It belonged to my great grandfather, he was a soldier." He said blandly, taking in his surroundings. "Your name's Big Macintosh right? Big brother of one of the elements. Surprised you ended up like....... This." The stallion questioned, turning to face the large stallion. "Oh and don't think we are alone. There's plenty of insects in here." Free said to nopony in particular, looking over at the local wildlife. "Ah, spiders. The always faithful companions of pony kind." Looking over at Big Macintosh again, he trotted a bit closer. "So, i'm going to go out on a hoof here and say you're going to 'enforce the mighty law of new equestria.' Oh and by the way, make it quick, I think my food is getting cold." Free intoned to the stallion coldly, not really caring for whatever Big Mac was going to do to him. "Wait! I got it! Instead of keeping up the daily routine of you torture me, gets you nowhere, you're finally going to silence my traitorous rebel mouth! But don't worry, because even if you do kill me, others will take up the cause. So be my guest!" The stallion smiled, tilting his head slightly at his mostly silent captor.

[Valencetiger]

Big Macintosh watched the rebel leader with a blank expression, his iconic piece of wheat dangling from his mouth. It seemed that this Free pony here was either a zealot or completely mad...it mattered little. Gesturing to what was obviously a normal chair, he murmured his reply.

"...have a seat, Free." The words were gruff and commanding, but didn't seem to bear any hostility. In truth, Big Macintosh bore no ill will toward Free...he never did. The same went for every pony in this prison, and outside as well. Sure, the revolution had rid him of his gentleness...but brutality and cruelty was beyond him. He sincerely doubted that the slightly-mad pony in front of him would listen...but he had to try!

Sitting down in the other chair, he pressed a button as the walls and floor of the chamber went completely dark, transforming into the image of the night sky, stars twinkling and the moon bright overhead. This room was unique...created by one of the GEF's psychological scientists, it was able to take the memories of any pony inside the chamber, and project them throughout the room. A fantastic feat of magic and engineering...but it would not suit its purpose as a torturing device this day.

"We have to talk."

[Valencetiger]

Snowthorn followed with a sigh, waiting outside as the mentally unstable pony geared himself. He might as well let the fool make himself look stupid before correcting him... Looking at the fully-equipped Equestioner blandly, he shook his head as he followed him out of the hidden barracks. "...we aren't going yet. I'm rather certain I said tomorrow, yes?" Are all commoners this stupid...? The former noble thought to himself, glancing at the barracks behind him.

"...In either case, this isn't any normal raid or slaughter mission, Equestioner. This is a black-ops mission...and will require the tact necessary for all such jobs." Snowthorn felt that the words were lost on his bloodthirsty companion, but he let them hang there anyway.

[FermataTheBasse]

Cadence involuntarily shuddered when she felt Gladius pushing her up. The memory of intimate moments with Shining Armor suddenly bubbled back to the surface, his strong but simple motions, his soothing voice. There was no voice here now, not for her. Cadence sniffled suddenly, but she didn't start crying. His smile, as dull as it was compared to her memory of her husband, was at least genuine. She could feel it with what little power still remained from her scoured cutie mark. She tried to smile back, but it would look more like a grimace to Gladius.

[colour=#ee82ee]"Thank you, uh, Glad." [/colour][colour=#000000]She let herself be led, leaning weakly against him as they made their way to somewhere. She didn't know what else to say, strangely enough. It had been so long since she had conversed with another pony.[/colour]

[Valencetiger]

-deleted-

[Valencetiger]

"Think nothing of it." Gladius replied quietly as the two of them began to leave the slums, going up into the upper sectors of the city. As they went up the scattered streets and archways, Gladius would be greeted by random ponies or guards bearing the GEF's fire insignia. He always responded politely back, but he kept his true feelings inside.

Despite his dislike of the GEF, he knew honest work when he saw it. With the end of the revolution, Gladius had been hired by the new regime to train their recruits in the Acadamy. In complete honesty, he loved the job...in the past five years, he had raised some of the best and most noble fighters in Equestria, and he loved each of his students as if they were his own. He couldn't blame them for joining the GEF...what else was a pony supposed to do when they were young and held a fighter's blood in their veins? So he made it his duty to bring out the best of what he could for Equestria...to leave a brighter future than the one it has seen in the recent decade.

After about an hour of traveling, they would arrive at a old granite home, no doubt a remnant of the dead Canterlot. Most of the Upper City was built on the grounds of the former capital, a clear message that the age of the Principality was over. Gladius' horn glowed a red light as a key from one of his sacks flew out, imbedding itself in the keyhole of one of the large wooden doors. After hearing it unlock, the old unicorn pushed open the doors and smiled lightly at Fermata. "...please, come inside from the cold. My home is yours to use as you please."

[ONWARDconwardicus]

Snowthorn followed with a sigh, waiting outside as the mentally unstable pony geared himself. He might as well let the fool make himself look stupid before correcting him... Looking at the fully-equipped Equestioner blandly, he shook his head as he followed him out of the hidden barracks. "...we aren't going yet. I'm rather certain I said tomorrow, yes?" Are all commoners this stupid...? The former noble thought to himself, glancing at the barracks behind him.

"...In either case, this isn't any normal raid or slaughter mission, Equestioner. This is a black-ops mission...and will require the tact necessary for all such jobs." Snowthorn felt that the words were lost on his bloodthirsty companion, but he let them hang there anyway.

The Equestioner tilted his head side to side. Black Ops mission. No killing everybody. Just the selected. No sound. Slit throats. The exact reason he had made his armor in the first place. That and his enemies were extremely unnerved by the sight of it. He looked at Snowthorn and said, "Just need to break in my new gear." With that he started a fast jog. The leather began to flex and soften, and he made sure that he was comfortable and mobile. He finished the jog at his house (or hole, it didn't matter) and thought about how his apprentice would be doing now. "It's good for him to get practice." The Equestioner justified.

With that he set his gear by his "bed", climbed into it, and went to sleep.

((OOC: Sorry for short post. Couldn't think of anything.)

[sevofthesands]

Draco continued on still depressed he walked down the main street when he was stopped by a couple haughty looking guards he looked up at them fearfully almost ready to run if it came to that ... he knew if he did he would be shot in seconds but ... "y-y-yes? can i help you sir?" he asked one of the guards who both looked down their noses at him.

"you look very suspicious" he said "does he not friend.?" he asked his buddy

"why yes i do believe so he look like a thief.." he murmured "could be hiding anything under that cloak of his.." they both looked at draco who had begun to make himself look smaller.

"please sirs... i am just a humble traveler i barely arrived here today" their looks turned sour as more guards began to turn and look

"if you are innocent of no crime then take your cloak off and let us see." draco shook his head looking fearful. he did not want to reveal his secret to anypony let alone two bigots.

"i-i-i cannot.." he said quietly as one drew his sword.

"then you are a thief or a murderer you do not say no to a Guard fool!" he said as his friend moved behind him. he feared that his journey was over before it began he tried to back up the guard blocked him. "now lets see what your hiding" the first guard said as his comrade tore the cloak away to their shock there was not stolen goods or a blood murder weapon under his cloak but only a pair of wings. still they were shocked as draco Sunk to the ground in shame. the guards continued they were wrong about the thief guess but they had to press on to not look foolish. "so a freak as well as a criminal!!" he shouted as he looked down at Draco "we shall take you where you belong!" he said as he and some other guards surrounded him as he slowly got up and picked his cloak up meekly they led him away to god knows where could this day get any worse..

(i leave dracos fate up to you i left where they were going vague for a reason)