The full moon hung high over the sky of Canterlot, illuminating Equestria’s eternal night with a brilliance that dwarfed the faint memories of the sun’s anemic light. As Captain-Commander Vinyl Scratch of the Lunar Guard trotted down the city’s main thoroughfare – the crowd parting before her, like she were a timberwolf hunting its next meal – she stared up at it, the unrivalled shine of the orb causing her eyes to ache even through her shaded glasses. It was weird. It had only been a hoofful of years ago, but she could barely remember what life had been like in the age of the sun, when Princess Celestia had ruled over them. The triumphant return of Princess Moon had ushered in a new era and a new way of life so completely that the time before her conquest of Equestria might as well not have existed. Much like her past life, the sun was nothing but a faint and distant memory. She turned off the main street, ducking down an alley. After a few steps, she wrinkled her nose to fight back against the stench of unclean ponies and filthy streets. Cleaning the filth from the backstreets of Canterlot wasn’t her job, so she ignored it and simply stepped around the pony sleeping under the heaped trash that he no doubt considered home. While unpleasant, Canterlot’s alleyways were a boon to seasoned trotters, the narrow and shadowed spaces between the city’s towering buildings spreading all through the city like a star spider’s web. If you knew them well, you could reach anywhere in the city without ever touching a named street, and it was faster than hailing a taxi. Provided you were willing to brave the danger, of course. Tucked away as they were, many of the alleys never saw a sliver of moonlight, creating those dark places where the city’s undesirables made their home and hunt those who entertained their domain. The places where even the city guard dared not set hoof. “This ain’t a place you should be walking, guard,” a voice said from somewhere up ahead, the light of a firefly lantern suddenly coming to life. But for her? They held no terror. “’ey. Moon dog. I’m talking to you.” Vinyl stopped, looking at the short, stocky mare blocking her path and shook her head. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see the other two ponies lurking in what they no doubt thought were deep, concealing shadows. Her horn glowed for a moment, carving cerise words into the air. [i]WHAT?[/i] The mare chuckled. “Oh, you’re a quiet one, eh?” [i]LEAVE.[/i] “Pushy, too.” Something glinted in the lantern light as the mare shifted, no doubt a hoofblade. “How about you drop whatever coins you’re carrying and that fancy collar too and you’ll get to limp away from here in one piece?” The word in the air in front of Vinyl blazed brighter. “Have it your—” Vinyl didn’t even let the words finish, her magic wrapping around the mare’s leg and yanking it out from under her, while another surge of magic propelled her head into the ground with a sharp crack. [i]NEITHER OF YOU MOVE.[/i] The one on her right didn’t listen, spreading his wings as he lunged. Her horn glowed and he faltered, his ears flattening as he let out a shriek of pain, the cacophony sound she’d conjured directly into his ears no doubt bursting the drums. He lost his footing and hit the ground, skidding for the short moment before Vinyl’s magic drew the thick blade hung near her shoulder and brought it down. The last would-be-mugger shrank back as she turned on him, her red eyes shining over the top of her glasses, a deep red that shined out in the dark far brighter than the fallen lantern should have allowed. “Horse feathers,” he breathed, bowing his head low, practically kissing the cobblestones. “Y-you’re one of of Princess Moon’s chosen. P-please, don’t kill me. Please. Please!” The stallion shook as he cowered, his eyes squeezed tight. Vinyl sighed, sheathing the blade as she walked towards him. When he didn’t move, she nudged the side of his face with a hoof. His eyes opened a crack. [i]GO.[/i] He pushed himself back and away, his eyes never leaving hers, his head remaining as bowed to the ground as possible. Who wouldn’t, when confronted with one of Princess Moon’s demon soldiers, who sold their souls for power and whose crimson eyes could pierce the veil of the blackest darkness. She looked at the bodies of the other two ponies and shook her head. She’d have to let the locals know. She hadn’t even started her first shift yet. [hr] The Pale Moon bar was filled to bursting whenever the shifts changed, the guards on duty dropping in to relieve themselves after a hard day on canterlot’s streets, while those from the previous shift were still being rolled out, the hardest drinkers managing to keep on their hooves right to the very end. Sometimes Vinyl was one of them. [i]DEALT WITH THE MUGGERS.[/i] Vinyl wrote with her magic. Captain Night Glider snorted and shook her head. “How many bodybags will I need to tell the cleanup crew to bring?” Vinyl took a long drink of cider, enjoying the sour taste of night apple. [i]TWO.[/i] The pegasus laughed and shook her head. “That all? Just a couple of idiots looking for a fight, or the mob turn tail once they realized who they were messing with?” She shrugged, her eyes focused on the dark liquid in her mug, striving with every fiber of her being to convey that the last thing she wanted to do was have a conversation. “Geeze, Captain-Commander. Never expected some battle-hardened vet to be so dour about cleaning a bit of street trash.” Night glider punched her shoulder. “Come on, you were assigned here to inspire us to raise ourselves up to the standards of the Lunar Guard, weren’t you? Start inspiring!” [i]TOMORROW.[/i] Night Glider threw her hooves up and gestured for another set of mugs to be delivered to their table. “Really kinda figured somepony like you’d be a bit more… I dunno. Vivacious. Outgoing.” When Vinyl didn’t react, she tried again, “Fun?” [i]NOPE.[/i] Night Glider dropped her voice a bit. “The campaigns that bad? You were in both Saddle Arabia and Yakyakistan, right?” Vinyl shrugged, then nodded. The truth was she hardly thought about them anymore. “I’ve blocked out some time for you to give a… uh… speech to everyone when you first come on. If you want, of course.” The pleading tone was obvious. “Three days, right?” No matter how much she wanted to duck it, she knew she couldn’t. What sort of Captain-Commander wouldn’t give a rousing speech to her new charges? Let them know how wonderful a life serving Princess Moon was, and teach them about all the incredible rewards the awaited them. Fame. Fortune. Power. She forced a smile and nodded. A little tension seemed to leave Night Glider’s body. “Great.” A flicker of worry crossed her face. “I hope I haven’t been too forward with you, Captain-Commander. The truth is we’re just all really looking forward to working with you. Like, you’ve only just arrived and you’re already taking care of problems.” She beamed. “We’ll get this city cleaned up in no time with you leading the charge.” Vinyl nodded, then jerked her head at the door. “Huh? Oh, you wanna head out already?” Another nod. Sharp and curt, this time. Night Glider finally took the hint. “Looking forward to working with you, Captain-Commander.” [hr] Vinyl stuck to the main streets, her head buzzing as she wandered and stared vacantly at the sky. Going back to her flat was the last thing she wanted to do, next to staying out here and dealing with other ponies or hitting up another bar to drink alone. Which left precious little for her to do. She wandered aimlessly, letting her thoughts drift as she crossed the city, her hooves carrying her wherever they wanted, the peytral emblazoned with the symbol of Princess Moon insuring that, here on the streets, she was unquestionably obeyed and ordered. Had she walked into somepony in her distraction, there was no doubt that they would have bowed and scraped their way away, begging her pardon. She sighed, letting that thought join the dozens of others that flitted about for a moment, just becoming another part of the noisome bustling city that passed all around her. Her ears twitched as she passed by a half-open doorway, the faint sound of music piercing the haze. She stopped short, glancing back towards the door. A string instrument played with fervor and the quiet ambiance of a crowd not there for a show, but listening anyway. The place lacked a sign, but she pushed the door open anyway, stepping into what might as well have been her past. The small, ratty bar. The ponies piled in. The scent of stale beer and cider and sweat. And, above it all, the sound of music filling the room. Vinyl made her way in, ignoring the slight ripple that her presence caused, making her way to the least crowded corner she could find. The pony on stage sawed away at her instrument, her eyes clenched tight as she worked the strings. The performance was rough and raw, played not for precision and perfection, but to sear raw emotion in the hearts and minds of her listeners. No, Vinyl recognized the expression carved into her sharp and thin features. Right now, not even the crowd mattered. It was just her and her music. The minutes faded away as Vinyl watched in rapt attention, her own world melting away as the notes and melodies danced around her, bringing her back a place she’d last been a lifetime ago. She levitated her glasses off her snout and wiped at her eyes as the music finally drew to a close. There were a lot less ponies in the room than when she’d come in, and even fewer anywhere near her. That realization brought about a brief pang of guilt, but she pushed it away. The mare on stage panted, her thin frame shaking from the exertion of her performance and, Vinyl had no doubt, too few meals. The transition hadn’t been easy on those who had not offered their service directly to Princess Moon, and even now… well. Ponies with value to Princess Moon and the Lunar Republic rose, and those without fell. It was just how things were. A look of fear momentarily crossed the mare’s face as she caught sight of Vinyl, but she suppressed it quickly. Vinyl smiled, levitating a few coins out of her pouch and depositing them on the jar that sat on the stage edge. The tension in the air was palpable as ponies tried to lean away from her without moving. The moment she stepped outside, the sound inside rose once more. [hr] Vinyl returned to that little hole-in-the wall on the next third shift, this time without the peytral in the hopes that she might be able to blend in a little better. It worked well enough, though her glasses earned her a few odd looks. Still, better that than knowing what lurked behind them. It was a strange and unfamiliar sensation as the ponies jostled and crowded around her. For the first time in a long time she felt naked. Without that emblem, without her crimson eyes, she wasn’t Captain-Commander Vinyl Scratch of the Lunar Guard. So who was she? It didn’t really matter. Right now, she was just part of the audience. She sat quietly after the performance ended and the grey mare once more descended from the stage, taking a seat among her fellows and chatting. And, as Vinyl watched in the dim light of the bar, snatching a pouch of coins that wasn’t well attended, a fact that only went unnoticed for a few moments. “What the buck? Where’re my bits?” the stallion snarled. He had good instincts, turning immediately on the grey mare. “Did you take ‘em?” “What?” she asked, feigning surprise. Vinyl crossed the space quickly, her horn glowing as she gently lifted the pouch, pulling it between the ponys’ legs and to herself. “Don’t you lie to me!” He raised his hoof and slammed it on on the bar. “Whoah,” the grey mare said, backing up, “Whoah, whoah!” They both started as Vinyl’s magic wrapped around them and opened the distance between them forcefully. The grey mare’s horrified recognition was instant, but the stallion… “Who do you think you are?” he growled. “You better butt—” Vinyl lifted her shades, letting her crimson eyes shine in the dim light of the bar, all conversation suddenly dying. Even the stallion, so full of bravado just a second ago, turned contrite the instant her eyes turned on him. The grey mare actually trembled. “I… uh… I’m sorry,” he mumbled. The rest of the bar slowly seemed to move away from the three of them without obviously trying to retreat from Vinyl. After all, running from her might well just draw her attention. [i]WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?[/i] The words shone brightly, taking them both by surprise. The stallion recovered first, speaking quickly, “This pony over here stole my bits. I’m sure of it. Stuff’s been disappearing ever since she started playing here. And lookit her tip jar: she sure ain’t making money with her music.” The grey mare shook her head, but couldn’t seem to find the words to protest. Vinyl lifted the pouch into the air. [i]THESE?[/i] To the grey mare’s credit, her eyes barely moved. “Uh… yeah. Where’d you find those?” [i]THE FLOOR.[/i] She let them drop onto the bar, releasing her magical hold on both of them. [i]BE MORE CAREFUL.[/i] “O-of course.” He cleared his throat. “S-sorry for causing you trouble.” Ignoring him, Vinyl shifted her gaze to the grey mare. [i]COME WITH ME.[/i] She swallowed and nodded weakly. “I… need to get my things, if that’s okay, of course.” Vinyl nodded. A few moments later, they were walking down a nearby alley, the mare looking ready to bolt even with the heavy instrument case across her back. “Why?” she asked, her voice soft and barely audible. [i]?[/i] “Why... “ she hesitated. “Why am I following you, Miss... Miss...?” Vinyl snorted. [i]VINYL. YOU?[/i] Again she looked ready to run, but she held her ground. “Octavia, Miss Vinyl.” [i]DON’T DO THAT AGAIN.[/i] Octavia stopped, but she was smart enough to not try and deny what Vinyl obviously already knew. Instead, she sat down. “It was that or sleeping in a park tonight.” She laughed. “Though I guess I don’t have a choice now, do I?” [i]COME.[/i] “Where—” The word burned brighter. [hr] The two ponies stood in front of Vinyl’s flat. [i]HOME.[/i] Vinyl offered, before her magic operated the lock on the door. Not that she needed to worry in this part of town. “And what am I supposed to—” [i]STAY HERE TONIGHT.[/i] Octavia stared at her, her eyes open wide. Her mouth opened to say something, then she shut it. She repeated the gesture a few times before one question won out. “Why?” [i]BEATS THE PARK?[/i] “I’m serious.” Despite the situation, annoyance started to creep into Octavia’s voice. “You… you do what you did in the bar, and now you’re bringing me back to your place? You… what are you playing at? Are you planning something sick here, or is that just some misguided pity for a poor pony like me?” Vinyl shrugged. [i]YOU PLAY WELL.[/i] That took Octavia by surprise. [i]STAY OR DON’T.[/i] Vinyl pushed the door open and stepped inside. Octavia started to follow, but froze at the threshold. [i]WHAT?[/i] “It’s bloody pitch black in there. I’m going to trip over something if I try.” Vinyl stared at her, taking a moment to realize that, to a normal pony, it would be pitch black. Concentrating, she summoned up a pale globe of light the same color as the moon and set it to drift lazily throughout the space that made up her main room. The light wasn’t much, but it was enough, particularly because there wasn’t really anything to trip over. The whole of Vinyl’s belongings were still packed in a couple boxes and stuck in the corner. Even her armor, the thing that should have been her pride and joy, was heaped on top of it like so much junk, with the peytral flung on top to cap it off. The only things she’d bothered with were the couch and, back in her bedroom, the bed. “Spacious,” Octavia offered. Vinyl snorted again, then flung herself onto the couch. [i]BED ->[/i] “You’re really serious, aren’t you?” [i]YES.[/i] A dull thud told her that Octavia had, at least, set her instrument down. After a long moment, it was followed by, “Thank you.” [hr] Vinyl left partway through first shift, while Octavia was still asleep. She’d left a note, telling the musician to do what she wanted. Honestly, she half-expected to come to find all her stuff had been stolen and pawned off. Even if that would be a rather suicidal path for Octavia. So it came as a welcome surprise that, when she returned, the grey mare was playing in the main room. She looked to stop, but Vinyl shook her head and took a seat, closing her eyes as let the music dance around her, just like it had in the bar. When the song finished, Octavia spoke up. “Miss Vinyl?” She froze for a long moment, looking at the floor. “Since you invited me in already, would it be… would it…” she trailed off, shaking her head. “Can I stay another night?” [i]YES.[/i]