Upon A Moonlit Alley...

Misfit rocked back and forth on her haunches. The roof's tiles were rough against her fur, but it didn't matter much to her. She watched as her white breath rose up into the air and slowly faded away. It was cold up here. So terribly, painfully cold. Even so, she needed to clear her head. She needed time away from below, from the fellow pickpockets, the sleazy dealers, the vain nobles. Up here, it felt as if she was in another world, where there was fewer worries. It was if the cold froze life itself. And few numb ears and and nipped hooves were worth that peace.

The sky was beautiful tonight.

Misfit sighed, tightening the strings around her lute, which was strapped to her back. She then scooted to the side of the roof, swinging her legs over the edge. It might have been nice up here, but it was getting too cold to be safe. Besides, she'd have to start finding some kind of shelter before it got completely dark. A few splashes of violet still showed in the sky, so she had a little time.

She swung herself down, scaling on a pipe and landing on a garbage can. She was in a small alleyway, but the corner lead to a wide opening.

She wasn't even expecting it. She should've known better to just prance around this late, but for some reason she had neglected her instincts.

A colt, around the age of 17, rammed her to the nearest wall. Her head bonked up against the hard brick, and for a moment, she saw stars. "Eh! Do you have any bits? I know you do. Mares never let their kids walk around pocket-empty anymore. Just give them to me and I'll be on my-" The colt then took a good look at Misfit. He snorted. "Oh, well, yer just a little street rat too, arntcha? What a waste, eh. But little things like you always have some picklings you snitched. So, whatcha have? Come on, I'll let you keep some even! I know how expensive it is livin'!"

Misfit trembled, but tried to speak clearly and strongly. "I-I don't have anything, sir! Really." The colt clearly didn't agree. "Oh, really? What about that instrument on yer back? That don't look like nothin'." She glanced to her lute, gulping. "Oh, no, I n-need this to make money. It's old a-anyway."

He stared at her for a few seconds, then huffed. "Aw, fine. You're lucky I'm nice. But surely ya got some bits stuffed in your hat or scarf, huh? If you don't, I'll take the guitar-thingy, money-maker or not. You got SOMETHIN', right?" The colt pressed her closer to the wall, practically patting her down. She squirmed. Oh, Celestia, why did she always get in these situations. She just wanted to get away.

Making up her mind, she bit down, hard. The colt flung his wounded arm away, howling. She was then rewarded with a swift slap to the face. "Brat!"


(...well, isn't this such a happy start? I'm sorry, I've just been feeling dramatic lately. But this should leave plenty of opportunities. Anyway, here you are, Thespi!)

((I love it! best start ever! Sorry for the long post, this will most likely be the only long-plot post I do))

Vas lounged on a fire escape and stared at the streets, enjoying watching all the funny little ponies waddle and meander around in their meaningless lives.

Every once and a while he would hear a whisper and a tingle in his eyes. One of them had just been through a bad breakup, and another was worried about something they did that was bad, and Another still was happy and was going to meet somebody.

Ponies fascinated Vassago, the way they interacted and made friends. But what Vassago was looking for, was a Character. Somepony exciting, who lived a life outside of the general tedium and menialities of a perfectly harmonious existence. Vas didn't particularly like Chaos, but it certainly made for a good story.

He glanced up at the sky, which was slowly loosing its light, the stars just peeking through the general light pollution of the crowded city. The colt pondered going back to Ponyville, it wouldn't be that freezing. The cold never bothered him anyway.

He heard the sound of a pony hitting a wall, and looked down to see a elder colt standing over a familiar filly.

The sound of a train stopping. Don't want to be a burden. Ghosts in the Hall. So much fire.  New Names and Hidden Horns. The fire never stops. So much fire.

Vassago blinked sleepily.

"Brat!" His eyes widened as Misfit was stricken down by the rude young stallion. He slid down the fire escape as silently as possible and watched. He focused, letting out an eldritch tendril of magic that subtly snaked towards the stallion.

The brigand held his wounded arm and nursed it, sneering at the filly. " A fighter, huh? I got somethin that'l take soma that fight outta ya." a sick grin spread across his face as he grabbed Misfit by the neck and started to squeeze.

Before he could do any damage, he stopped. A look of horror spread over his face as he dropped Misfit to the ground.

"Oh buck..." he whispered. Vassago's magic had found its mark, slithering into the base of the assailant's neck.

Vassago spoke up. "What did you do? What did you do?" He whispered, "She was just a filly! She was just a filly!" His voice echoed ominously through the alleyway.

"I-I didn't mean to! I didn't... Oh buck!" He looked around wildly at faces that weren't there, then down at Misfit.

"No no no no BUCK Celestia damnit I didn't mean to oh buck please come on I just wanted to-" He backed up on unstable legs, then bolted in the opposite direction feverishly. The magic coil retracted and returned to Vassago.



Vassago watched the crazed stallion book it down the alley and away from the small urchin. A wide grin spread over his face and he broke into a hysteric cackle. He walked over to her and sat down, leaning over to stare her in the face.

"Hows you're neck? Are you dead?" He asked, the toothy grin still on his face.

((Aaah, it's fine! I love reading long posts, so no need to apologize. I make long posts sometimes too. Also, small question: Misfit and Vass haven't exactly met in this universe yet, right?))

"A fighter, huh? I got somethin' that'll take soma that fight outta ya."

Suddenly, there were hooves around her neck. Oh, buck, oh buck oh buck oh BUCK BUCK BUCK. She flailed her hooves, trying to kick out against the colt. No. Nonononono. This was not good. No, this was worse than not good, this was bucking terrifying. He was attempting to choke her, no, he was choking her. How could she let this happen. She had survived so much worse. She had so much more she could do. Life would be such a cruel joke if it were to end now.

Everything blurred through the tears in her eyes. It felt as if she was drowning. As if someone was pushing her underwater and forcing her to breath in. Her chest felt as if it was set ablaze, as did the top of her head. If she didn't figure out something to do, her own horn would. Yes, that's what she'd do. She'd set him on fire. Sure, she'd get burned a bit too, but it was better than dying.

Yet she didn't have to. The colt suddenly dropped her, landing on the ground with a hard 'thump'. She gasped in air, breathing heavily. It had only been seconds in which the colt had choked her, but it had felt like hours. She raised her head, barely high enough to see what was going on through her messy mane.

....the colt... he was being... her eyes darted about, trying to find the assailant. It was another colt, looking barely older than herself. He seemed... familiar, somehow. He spoke in such a dark tone, she herself felt chills travel up and down her spine. It was amazing. He was using magic, it seemed, to do all of this. And although she was mostly a merciful type, she definitely felt contempt and a bit of satisfaction as the horrid colt ran screaming.

She hadn't even noticed the pounding in her head until the other colt, her savior, started laughing. She had hit her head twice, got slapped, and nearly choked in the last ten minutes. It was no surprise she had an aching headache. Misfit closed her eyes for a moment, trying to focus on something else.

"Hows you're neck? Are you dead?"

She looked up only to be gazing directly at the pony. For a few seconds, she said nothing, and just gazed into his eyes. "...You have lovely eyes..." She mumbled quietly. The filly then slowly sat up, rubbing her head with her hoof. "...I...I think I'm alive. Maybe. But how can you tell..."

((No, I don't think they have, but Vas is sort of funky))

Vassago scrunched up his face. Maybe the oxygen deprivation was taking its toll... "Well for one, if you were dead, then you wouldn't be talking. Or walking. Or anything really. You'd just be dead, you see." Vassago made the motion of being hung by a rope, sticking his tongue out and letting his eyes bulge. "But its okay. Because you're not!" He spoke slowly, mocking her returning faculties.

In the back of his mind, a few possible scenario's played out. Mention fire. See what happens. One doesn't get anywhere without a little experimentation. A few vivid sensations tickled his senses, Sorting through them would have been easy, if he wasn't in a crowded, clustered, bright city with so many minds it made it hard to focus on just one.

He snickered. "But you must have thought you were going to die! I mean. Sorry I guess. I probably could have stopped him sooner, but I can't just light him on fire now can I?"

(Aye, understood, captain!)

Boy, did this colt have a lot of expressions. She wasn't sure whether to laugh at Vass's display of a 'dead pony', or stay silent. This pony was powerful, and he seemed to have a twisted sense of humor. What if she accidentally offended him, without even knowing? It was best to be quiet. Quiet was safe. Misfit twiddled her hooves, examining the ground.

"But its okay. Because you're not!"

The filly didn't even detect the colt's slightly mocking tone. In her mind, she thought he was just being genuinely positive. Why would a pony that just saved her be mean or rude to her? That would just be silly. Well, maybe not so silly, but she still thought he was nice. Sure, he seemed to have an odd and twisted sense of humor, but that wasn't bad. It made him different. And different was definitely good. Though... he did seem strangely familiar... maybe she was just seeing things."Y-yeah, I'm not, thanks to you. R-really, I'm not sure what would have happened if you hadn't come i-in. So... thank you. You really helped me." She looked the colt straight in the eye(which she still thought were quite pretty, by the way) when she spoke.

"But you must have thought you were going to die! I mean. Sorry I guess. I probably could have stopped him sooner, but I can't just light him on fire now can I?"

Misfit shifted uncomfortably. What did he mean, 'stopped him sooner'? And why would he make such a pinpoint perception about fire? Did he know something...? No, he couldn't. It was just a coincidence. She was simply being paranoid. Se laughed uneasily, breaking eye contact with Vassago. "O-oh, it's fine. You helped me in the end, that's what m-matters. Heh. Can't j-just light him on f-fire, right. Good one. Heh, aheh. I-I mean, who d-does that?"

She does. If this colt hadn't come along and helped her, she would've most likely threw some fire at her attacker. She wouldn't have wanted to, since fire is messy and painful and usually permanent, but that creep could've killed her. She might've been a little hurt, but not nearly as bad as a normal pony. She had a natural fire resistance, thank Celestia. But it didn't promise her safety. All she had to do was feel the scars beneath her sleeves to know that. She rubbed her arms, feeling the naked burned skin that was hidden underneath.

Her mind began reeling in memories. A warm cottage. A calm study with her father reading to her. Her mother's fresh cookies coming out of the oven.

Her mother lying limp and cold, her father crying. He never cried. At least, like that.

And fire. So much fire. Where did the fire come from. She knew. But she didn't even want to think about it.

So she didn't. She shut it back away, bringing herself back into the present. Oh, god, had she just sat there staring off into the distance? He must think she was so weird. That was nothing new, though. Misfit sniffled once, then looked back at the colt. Really, why did he seem so dang familiar? She swore she'd seen him before... "S-sorry about that. I was j-just... thinking. Oh! I've didn't introduce myself! You can call me Misfit, if you'd like."

Suddenly, it hit her. There was a reason he looked so familiar. She had never met him, but she had definitely seen him before, his description written on the back of wrists, along with key instructions. With his obvious magical talent, she should have figured it out sooner. "..And you're... you're... V..." Her face drained of all color, and her eyes widened.

(aaaah I didn't try to make it this long, I'm sorry. Don't feel like you have to make it any near as long.)

(eeeeeey, donworryboutit, loves the big posts! Sorry for the latish reply, today has been a little crazy busy, shouldn't happen again!))

"O-oh, it's fine. You helped me in the end, that's what m-matters. Heh. Can't j-just light him on f-fire, right. Good one. Heh, aheh. I-I mean, who d-does that?"


Evidently She does. Vassago's eyebrow quirked up inquisitively. Peculiar, very peculiar indeed. He glanced at her covered legs. Mabye… No. Best not push his luck. Every little bit is good. But…

She did have a funny habit of staring at him alot. Why does she do that? Vas briefly wondered if he had something in his eye.

Then he saw Misfit do something interesting. Something welled up. Some mixture of Sorrow and Guilt, with a dash of Nostalgia. Vassago examined the sensation with fascination. Now what could elicit such a response? Something bad most like. Something really quite bad. As quickly as the emotions came, they passed.

"S-sorry about that. I was j-just... thinking. Oh! I've didn't introduce myself! You can call me Misfit, if you'd like."
A look of confusion crossed Vas’ face for a moment. That wasn’t her name…

"..And you're... you're... V..." Her face drained of all color, and her eyes widened.

Vassago raised himself to his full height (about a centimeter taller than Misfit) and stared wildly into her eyes “VASSAGO!” He yelled in Misfit’s face.

He continued to glare crazily for a good second, before a snicker formed on his lips. The snicker turned into a guffaw, which turned into a whooping laugh. Vas laughed until tears started to stream down his face and he fell over.

“Th-The hehe The look on your fa-a-a-ace! PfffffheheheehuehueheuhahahahahHAAHAhahahah…” He continued laughing for a good few seconds.

“Heh… sorry to… mmm…” he took a moment and took some deep breaths, composing himself. “I don’t get the… uh… opportunity to have such flashy introductions.” He leaned down on the ground and made a big, dramatic, contented sigh.

Misfit shrunk back slightly from the colt's sudden shout. Vassago. So it really was him. The amazing Vassago. The magical prodigy. The binding snake.

As the colt held the dominating stance, she wasn't sure what to do. He was glaring at her with a dark look in his eyes, and for a moment, a thought crossed her mind. What if the only reason he saved her was so he could have her for himself? They say he made contracts, binding contracts. He would do something for you, and in return, you had to lend a precious favor. However, Misfit didn't believe all the rumors that he was some kind of demon. Mostly.

Oh, but if he was...

The filly breathed a sigh of relief when Vassago began laughing. It puzzled her of what was so funny, but she didn't disrupt his glee.

“Heh… sorry to… mmm… I don’t get the… uh… opportunity to have such flashy introductions.”

"Really?" Misfit asked, finding her voice once again. "I'd think, with y-you're job, you'd be able to do that a lot." She then glanced away. "...Was the l-look on my face really th-that funny...?" She asked, half to Vassago, half to herself. "But, w-what else would you expect, finding out the V-vassago is standing in front of you? I mean..."

She paused.

"You're so bucking cool!" She said suddenly, her volume almost doubled. She grinned brightly. "You're like really good at magic and scrolls, right? Aaah, and you're only, what, 15? You have such a reputation, like how powerful and clever you are. I wish I knew how you do it!  You don't understand how amazing it is to meet you, sir!" She gazed at Vassago with an admiring twinkle in her eye.

"You even somehow got this rumor spread around how, like, y-you're this big dark demon and stuff, and if that isn't cool, then I don't know what is. Well, maybe be an a-actual demon could be a teensy bit cooler. If you aren't. Sir."

Misfit's smile hung for a couple seconds, then, realizing how silly she must sound, she backed off. She coughed into her hoof. "Uh... I mean, I-I've heard about you. Yeah. Ahrm." The filly looked away, clearing her throat.

"Really?" Misfit asked, finding her voice once again. "I'd think, with y-you're job, you'd be able to do that a lot." She then glanced away. "...Was the l-look on my face really th-that funny...?" She asked, half to Vassago, half to herself. "But, w-what else would you expect, finding out the V-vassago is standing in front of you? I mean..."

Vas groaned. “If only EVERYpony thought the same way. I mean, sure I am theoretically a figure to be feared, but most don’t appreciate the more… dramatic… side of my character. “ He settled in a sulky slouch, all too easily remembering numerous presentations that fell flat on his uptight clientele.

"You're so bucking cool!" She said suddenly, her volume almost doubled. She grinned brightly."You're like really good at magic and scrolls, right? Aaah, and you're only, what, 15? You have such a reputation, like how powerful and clever you are. I wish I knew how you do it!  You don't understand how amazing it is to meet you, sir!" She gazed at Vassago with an admiring twinkle in her eye.

"You even somehow got this rumor spread around how, like, y-you're this big dark demon and stuff, and if that isn't cool, then I don't know what is. Well, maybe be an a-actual demon could be a teensy bit cooler. If you aren't. Sir."

Misfit's smile hung for a couple seconds, then, realizing how silly she must sound, she backed off. She coughed into her hoof. "Uh... I mean, I-I've heard about you. Yeah. Ahrm." The filly looked away, clearing her throat.

Vassago stared. Just stared at Misfit with the most confused and disdainful look.

He searched the ground for answers. What did this strange, alien outburst of emotion mean? He heard rumors of these magical beasts that followed celebrities around in a thrall. A truly remarkable creature only known as…

Vassago’s face instantly broke into a genuine, toothy, awestruck smile. “You’re my Fanfilly! I have a Fanfilly!” He literally lept with joy and wrapped the foal in a bear hug. “Oh I could just kiss you! This is extroardinary! This is fantastic!” The eccentric pushed Misfit away and looked around with a wide eyed wonder.

“Years and years of labor and work and oooooooooooooooh I am invincible! I can do anything! Ah yes! Today is a GOD DAY!” He leapt up onto a trash bin and posed heroically. “And its all thanks to you!” He pointed to Misfit. “This requires remuneration. I am indebted to you! What do you want? Adventure? Icecream? I can do it! I can do anything” He jumped in front of her and leaned in close, his eyes a glow with joy and his face beaming happier than a foal receiving gifts on Hearthswarming Eve.

Vassago just stared at her, as if she was some kind of alien with an extra arm sticking out of her head. She had a creeping fear that she had said something wrong.

“You’re my Fanfilly! I have a Fanfilly!” He literally lept with joy and wrapped the foal in a bear hug.

Misfit watched as the colt sudden leaped into the air, and before she could process anything, he was hugging her. Vassago the prodigy, the strong, the smart, the sneaky, the dark, the twisted... was hugging her. The filly blushed, but grinned back at him.

“Oh I could just kiss you! This is extroardinary! This is fantastic!”

Vassago pulled away from her, his comment just making her flush a deeper red. That couldn't stop her from smiling, though. He wasn't upset! In fact, he was happy! More than happy, he seemed ecstatic! This was absolutely wonderful! She watched as the colt gleefully hoped up onto a trashcan, and she almost laughed at the pose he struck.

“Years and years of labor and work and oooooooooooooooh I am invincible! I can do anything! Ah yes! Today is a GOOD DAY! And its all thanks to you! This requires remuneration. I am indebted to you! What do you want? Adventure? Icecream? I can do it! I can do anything.”

Vassago leaning in even closer to her didn't help her blushing problem. Gosh darnit, stupid heart, stop beating so much. He's just a normal pony, not some super famous celebrity, right? ...actually, he was. He really was, at least, to her, and this entire experience was almost surreal. Misfit had no idea how to respond. How do you respond to this? All thanks to her? Indebted? Icecream? Adventure? Everything was happening so quickly, what was she supposed to think first? The smile he had... oh gosh, how could you not just smile back? Her heart was soaring right now. "Indebted? Sir, you saved my life, that's payment enough!" She was so impossibly excited, her stutter was almost nonexistent. "But... if you're offering... I'd like take you up on that offer for adventure!" She would usually worry about overstepping some kind of boundary, but she didn't care at the moment. It was like Vassago's glee was rubbing off on her.

"Can I see where you usually go? What you do? I'd just like to see you in action, sir!" She asked excitingly, her eyes starstruck.

"Indebted? Sir, you saved my life, that's payment enough!" She was so impossibly excited, her stutter was almost nonexistent. "But... if you're offering... I'd like take you up on that offer for adventure!" She would usually worry about overstepping some kind of boundary, but she didn't care at the moment. It was like Vassago's glee was rubbing off on her.

"Can I see where you usually go? What you do? I'd just like to see you in action, sir!" She asked excitingly, her eyes starstruck.

Vassago closed his eyes thoughtfully. “Nonsense! Life is nothing compared to infatuation.” Vas waved the thought away. “‘Where I go...’ hm? ‘What I do’...” He quoted. He laughed again, this time with a noticeable unease. “Well. To be perfectly honest. Business hasn’t been particularly as… fruitful as it once was. I’m glad there is still the good ol’ rumor going round.” He sighed wearily before his chesire grin returned.

“No matter! You ask for a tour of Chateau de Vassago, and by gum a tour you shall have.” He grabbed Misfit by a sleeved arm and started to lead her out of the Alleyway. “Although I regularly commute to Manehattan, I do not live here. I currently reside in PonyVille. You know, that little nugget of Suburbia and Tracked Housing? Somewhere that’s Green?” He made a subtle gagging motion and rolled his eyes. “But what can you do? I’m a sucker for sentimentality. Besides, on the outer edge of Ponyville, it gets a little… hm… lets call it ‘sketchy.’ that’s where I make be.” He walked briskly and quickly, weaving and slipping through the crowds of Manehattan.

He noted the subtle sensation of the sleeve on furless skin. Only a few things striped fur from skin in such a way. Acid and fire came to mind. It didn’t take a genius to guess which one was most likely the cause.

((Hey, want to make a quick location switch to Ponyville Houses? I can post it, if ya like))