Cutlass [Final]

[Apolline Allura]

Name: Cutlass (a.k.a Robbin Hood)

Age: Middle Aged Mare

Species: Earth Pony

Pelt Color: Sandy White

Mane/Tail Color & Style: Jet black curled mane, laid over the left side of her face. A messily long jet black tail with an azure

streak in the center.

Appearance Notes: Due to her status as a wanted mare, she wears a silvery grey cloak that covers most of her body, save for her legs, where a little room is left for manuvering. She also wears a hood, but often wears it down.

Eye Color: Maroon

Cutie Mark: A jolly roger skull with two crossed cutlasses. (A brand mark featuring the letter "D" is healed over the mark).

Physique: A powerful and filled out frame, backed by strong, thin legs and little weight around her center.

Origin: Seasaddle Bay

Roleplay Type: FiM/Show Roleplay

Occupation: Highwaymare

Motivation: Atoning for nearly twenty years of villainy.

Likes: Swords (particularly cutlasses), peace and quiet, but paradoxically enough, music.

Dislikes: Finanical inadequacy (i.e. being broke), hypocrites (with delusions of not being hypocritical), violence against

innocents, sloppy work, darkness.

Character Summary: Raised on Seasaddle Bay, Cutlass grew up as the only foal to a pair of poor highwayponies that taught her their ways, wanting their skills to be a legacy. She was raised on the beilief of having more is simply in need of more, to be in simpatico with one's greed. If one could steal from the RIGHT pony at the RIGHT time and feel good about it, was the order of HER universe. The code her parents raised her by told her to never steal from those who couldn't afford it, never to harm anyone unless in self defense, and that in order to accept it all, she had to be somewhat detached from connections outside the family. Her mother taught her espionage, and her father taught her how to defend herself with a blade. She fell in love with a particular family of swords during her training; oddly enough to her namesake, cutlasses. Transfixed by the beauty of the cutlass, she dedicated the rest of her training to becoming a master of the weapon, which earned her her cutie mark when she could go hoof-to-hoof with both her parents at same time with one. Cutlass' parents became immensely proud as she grew in skill in both stealth and combat. On her fourteenth birthday she was challenged by her father to a no-holds barred match.

Sure that she would lose, she declined. But her father was relentless in egging her on and eventually her pride drove her to accept. During the fight, he made a particularly obivous blunder so that he had found himself on the end of her sword. Cutlass was devastated as father began to tell how proud he was of her growth and that if she wanted to live, then she would carry on their profession. Unsure of exactly what that meant, she was not give much time for repose, when a cadre of assassins appeared at her home, having already taken down her mother. The leader, a black stallion named Dutch proclaimed that her parents had left her with a staggering debt, and that if she couldn't pay it, they would do her in too. Cutlass, surrounded by enemies had no other recourse but to beg for time. Dutch accepted her offer and branded her on her cutie mark claiming ownership of her life.

For ten years straight, she ran across Equestria, stealing from everypony and anypony she could get bits worth her time out of. Dutch had even circulated a nickname for her in lieu of the reports of theft in various places across Equestria; "Robbin Hood", because she would often end up in neighborhoods to steal from the poor as well as the rich, breaking the code her parents taught her just to survive.She came upon many of Equestria's dangers as well, never knowing where her next meal would come from, she had to learn the behavioral patterns of the land, as well as much of the flora and fauna to survive in extended travel. Her greatest adversary came in the form of a fully-grown Manticore, which gave her a harder fight than any soldier, assassin or guard could. Encounters against the dangers of the land would serve to sharpen her skills as time went on. Eventually, she managed to bring all the bits to Dutch, and he allowed her to live. However, Cutlass was not content with just that. Her whole life had been defined by stealing from ponies who couldn't afford to live in poverty and she would not let it go unpunished.

Broke and peniless, she set off to Canterlot, ready to mount a siege on Dutch's hideout. She had planned her revenge for years on end, and decided that the only way to take his army on was with one of her own. Canterlot was full of dignitaries, but mercenaries weren't hard to find by any stretch of the imagination, as most of them were former officers in the Old Guard, and veterans of the Royal Equestrian Army. Cutlass figured she'd hire some muscle to keep his ground forces busy, and descend to his floor and exact the revenge she'd been awaiting a decade for. In order to hire, she needed coin, and though she had grown tired and disgusted with herself, she merely resovled herself to one last act of villainy, for she was aware that her life was forfeit anyway, given that she took relatively little time to atone for her sins. Cutlass secretly hoped that she would meet her end after finishing off Dutch; the life she had led to keep alive was not worth living to her. The home she had chosen to rob belonged to a veteran of the Royal Equestrian Army named Steelwalt. She didn't know she had the unfortunate luck of trying to steal a sack of bits from a pony that despised those with her occupation, making a living by taking from others, and an alert old coot to boot. Though an elderly mare, she was unlike any opponent Cutlass had ever faced, and managed to defeat her through unarmed combat. Steelwalt, having subdued the highwaymare, was paused in her summoning of the guard when Cutlass attempted to leap from her window of her tower, but not Steelwalt grabbed her by her tail and yanked her back in, saving her life. At that point, Cutlass broke down. Her entire life, finally culminating with her being thrown in prsion? She couldn't accept that, and Steelwalt asked her to recount what it was that was so horrible that she would attempt to end her own life. After having given Steelwalt the (abridged) version of her life, the elder mare took pity and took her in.

For ten more years, she lived with Steelwalt and assisted in her day-to-day life. Never having truly experienced company beyond that of her parents, she remained somewhat cold and aloof. Something that Steelwalt wouldn't tolerate, and they would often argue with one another, but what started as a guardianship based on pity, turned into a vitrolic friendship. Cutlass, for the first time in her life, finally had a friend. Eventually, she decided on initiating a change in her life, for the greater good; ready to put back into the world what she took from it, and so much more. Though unsure about the best method to go about it, occasionally she travels back to cites that she has wronged, studying them in order to figure out how best she can put her talents to use, as well as preventing othe ponies from becoming victims of the same crimes she herself perpetrated. More recently, she has decided to take a holiday in Stalliongrad for the winter, with Steelwalt accompaning her and is currently en route. Cutlass wishes to bury the memory of her parents who met there and moved to Seasaddle Bay before they had her.

Though she still knows that Dutch is at large, her survival and cunning have given him reason to stay away. A small part of her wants to shut his operation down and take her vengeance. But life with Steelwalt has tempered her with the knowledge of knowing that she will not be used anymore, nor will she be harmed by Dutch. The former highwaymare wants nothing more than to die honorably and peacefully, with the knowledge that she has lived life for the greater good.

She remains one of the most wanted highwaymares in Equestria.

[Apolline Allura]

I'm totally expecting to put in a lot more work on this, but to get it out from early this morning was a herculean effort alone.

[SunsetSombra]

Hey, it's been a while - how's this application proceeding?

[RCTwilightSparkle]

If no comment is made saying you'd like to keep this application it will be locked in 5 days, thank you.

- RCTwi

[Apolline Allura]

I want to keep this app. I've been wanting to get back at this for a while. I've gotten time now.

[brianblackberry]

This application feels almost complete, if there is anything I feel that is still "missing" from it is the portion on what she hopes from life now. What does she plan or hope to do to change her life and atone for any past sins, or perhaps she isn't aware of what she wants to do in that regard yet and is still searching for that answer and her current travels is part of that (either route opens all sorts of possibilities). The only other thought I have is what ever happened with that Dutch and does she still desire some sort of "endgame" with him?

[Apolline Allura]

This application feels almost complete, if there is anything I feel that is still "missing" from it is the portion on what she hopes from life now. What does she plan or hope to do to change her life and atone for any past sins, or perhaps she isn't aware of what she wants to do in that regard yet and is still searching for that answer and her current travels is part of that (either route opens all sorts of possibilities). The only other thought I have is what ever happened with that Dutch and does she still desire some sort of "endgame" with him?

BLESS YOUR HEART BRIAN YOU HAVE SAVED A PONY. This is what I needed. I'll get on it.

[Apolline Allura]

This is it. I've made my final alterations. Her story can only move in an upwards direction from here on out, and I believe it was well worth the effort.

[brianblackberry]

Looking good!

For Great Justice!

[Skye]