"So this is my life now?" I had forgotten to ask if would I be staying here forever. Not that it would matter, It wasn't like I would be seeing him again. Though the resemblance was rather strange, bearing my appearance down to the letter. I made a mental note of it to ask him if this really was to be my permanent residence, should we ever cross paths again.

I turned my attention to the staff, testing the sharpness of my claws on its shaft. The inside edges were good for slashing and shaving wood, but mostly blunt on the tips and outer edges. I sat on a rock whittling my staff into a basic spear, primitive, but effective. I didn't feel like taking chances with those nets if I ever get ambushed by those dogs again. I added a curved edge onto the end. With only wood, it wasn't that great, but for cutting string, it was fine. When I was finished I took an overall look at it; it looked like an oversize wooden scalpel. This wasn't good, I needed something more sturdier. If I could find even sub par steel, I could craft a sword.

I whipped out my map and glance across the landmarks, placing my bearings near a small dot labeled Sri Flanka. Hopefully, they would have a black smith with decent materials. I decided to take one last look at my loot before leaving. I knew how to use a blow-dart, but the vials seemed temperamental. I examined the liquid inside; it didn't seemed pressurized, so it was most likely when it reacted to the air that it vaporized. Whatever those dogs were, they have some form of intellect. I also pondered over the gems, some looked like things I'd recognized: sapphires, rubies, emeralds, even some silver and gold ingots. I could use the gold and silver as trading material, but not forging, way too malleable. I got up from the rock and headed towards the town.

I finally had some time to myself, the forest themselves were beautiful, a slight Autumn color, flowers in bloom. I walked for close to a mile before ending up at the village. It seemed small, but still fortified by guards and the like. I found no resistance from the guards, only a tinge of worry from their expression. It wasn't long before I had found a capable smith, Auburn was his name.

"What can I do ya for?" he greeted. Not to my surprise everyone in town was an Equine, pony as Keith would call them. He spoke English, so it wouldn't be a problem communicating. He was busy working at the forge. I noticed that his form was skewed, the metal would end up too brittle. Then, turning my eyes to a few ores on a shelf, I found just what I needed: it was metal, but not just any old steel, they were tamahagane--metal from what would seem like from a master smelter--and in his hands, he would end up ruining them.

"How much do you want for those two ores on the shelf over there?" Those two ores would fetch over 10 million yen back in Japan and he was leaving them out in the open.

"Oh those old things? Mmm... 12 bi-" He looked at them then shifted my view to me and paused. He saw my figure and started to screw his face into a toughening one. My form was rather edgy to the locals, "I don't want no trouble at my forge," he immediately got defensive and threatening me.

From here, I could have done one of two things. Asserting dominance would have challenged his authority and likely have had him call the guards on me.

I decided to go for calm, ease my tone, and settle his mood.

"No one's going to give you trouble, I just want to buy the ores you have." His expression eased up but still kept a warning glare on me. I looked back dead in his eyes with a slight expression of sincerity. He soon dropped the expression and went back to a calm state. "12 bits you said?"

"Right... I can't really make good steel out of them." Bit was probably the currency, since I glanced at a table with a few coins on it. I looked at a nearby stand of fruit, 1 apple = 2 bits, I did a rough conversion in my head. To him the ore's worth was no more than 120 yen.

"How much to use your forge for a week?" My question caught the stallion by surprise. He looked at me with a discomforting look.

"I'd say renting it, for a week... 200 bits." Perfect, I pulled out the silver ingot. His eyes widened.

"Will this cover it?" His jaw dropped, I'd take that as a yes.

"Heck, with this, feel free to use my forge for the month!" I'm guessing silver had some high value, that or he never saw anything further than a sliver of it.

"No, a week is fine, feel free to watch me work, I might need your help on some things," I began to work on the blade. The metal was absolutely perfect, I could sense very little slag in the ores. I started folding steel, my hours under my master paying off. Auburn aided me in pounding the slag from them. The steel took two full days to fold over a half a million times. I motioned for him to stop; the ores were pure. I took two minutes to take a large gulp of water before continuing the next step. The stallion couldn't under stand why I took two whole days in order to just fold the steel

"I'll explain later." I said before the next step: merging the two metals. I gingerly placed the tough steel into a u-canal made by the hard steel, and continued to forge the steel for another day. After the initial forging, the blade's skeleton was complete. I asked Auburn to find some charcoal powder and clay to coat the blade,

"Why do you need those?"

"To paint the blade. Don't ask me why, I'll explain later." He shrugged and got me exactly what I needed, despite his reactions he was actually paying close attention to how I worked. I sat there in his workshop painting the blade, showing great detail to the actual design I was painting. Then took the rest of the day off to eat and sleep, Auburn offering my a bedroll on the floor for me to rest, but I didn't sleep, wouldn't want to risk a robbery, not that he would try, seeing my spear on my back deterred any sense of hostility from him. He actually saw me as more of a teacher.

"You know, for a diamond dog, you sure show some skill with a forge."

"Diamond dog, what's that?" He got confused.

"Aren't you one? They eat gems and mine minerals in the mountains," I took out a small, poor quality gem from my pack, studied it, then bit into it, no flaws whatsoever.

"No, If I have things correctly, I'm a wolf." He looked even more surprised.

"I've only heard of wolves in old mare's tales, there are ones just like pegasi, ones like unicorns that use magic with horns, and ones that, look like you!" Hmm... interesting.

"There are wolves that fly?"

"Not anymore, the wolf race was said to be extinct. The only things like them are Diamond dogs." Concepts immediately started to make sense. Those dogs that attacked me earlier were carrying the gems for SUSTANANCE, not currency.

"So I'm guessing I'm the last of my kind..."

"Guess so..." Being the last of your kind brings some existential thought into play, but only for a moment, I decided to strike up some casual conversation, "Where did you learn how to smith?"

"I taught myself, wanted so bad to be in the guards. I built up my dashing figure smithing, but didn't have a lick of combat sense. So I gave up and earned my living smithing weapons. I get a couple hundred bits per week smithing weapons for the guards, the least I can do to help. What about you, I've never seen anyone smith like you." The tone on his last mark contained a bit of hesitation, and his voice sounded a bit familiar, but where.

"I'll let my work speak for itself." Day five, the hardest part, but under studying for so long, I had turned it into instinct. This process involved heating the blade to a little under 1500 degrees, then plunging the blade into a trench of water to cool it rapidly, giving the blade its curve. By now, I was able to do it perfectly, every one of my blades surviving this crucial step.

The blade hissed as I slid the blade down into the trough, steam enveloping the both of us. I could feel the blade bend underneath the subtle ripples of the water. I breathe a sigh of relief to see my new blade almost finished. The final step: polishing. I sat in what seemed like an awkward position and rub the blade in some stones I found, some that were perfect for the task. I polish the blade for two days straight to reveal a sophisticated hamon on the blade, Auburn marveling at what I revealed. After inspecting it one last time, it was time to put it to the test. On day eight I asked Auburn to bring in a sizable boulder and one of his swords, the latter he somewhat reluctantly agreed on. I don't blame him.

I stood in a stable stance, and raised my new creation above my head, then brought it down in an unyielding swing, slicing the boulder in half. Auburn stood up from his chair in surprise and awe. Then, I took out one of Auburn's sword, it was thick and layered like a great sword, while mine was thin and sleek, he seemed disbelieving to what I was about to try, but after slicing a boulder clean in half, he was somewhat excited. I brought the blade down, my blade seamlessly dividing his like a person slowly walks through a curtain, leaving an almost clean divide. I sheathed my sword in a wooden scabbard I carved myself. He looks at me with a sly look, I knew what that meant.

"Alright so tell me, where did you learn how to smith?" I decided to explain.

"I was apprenticed under a swordsmith who, where I came from, was deemed a living national treasure, one renowned for his excellence in crafting swords with great beauty and strength. Some even nicknamed him Goro Masamune." He was confused. I wasn't surprised. "Simply put, he was the best of the best. I guess I'll take my leave now." I got up. "But before I go, here's some advice, hire a couple of helpers to help you smith, you know how I make my swords now, but they require a lot of work, hire someone with finesse for polishing and someone with strength for folding the steel."

"Wait!" He lunged forward beckoning my to stop, "Who are you?"

"My name's Aoi, Aoi Myoujin." I continued to walk out the door without another word. I hoped his business does better.

'Now to get these jewels traded in.' I turned a small sapphire in my hand, doing mental conversions. I walked into a jeweler's store. Inside, we talked only for a little before settling on a price of about 32,000 for the entire lot. He seemed a bit too eager, but I wasn't about to haggle, so we settled on the fair amount. I knew I got what they were worth, and he seemed blessed to get some good quality gems.

I walked outside to encounter a mob of 15 ponies, looking similar to a biker gang in western action movies. Only one guard was around and he was scared out of his wits. It took all but two seconds to realized that this gang operated the village behind the scenes. One pony who looked like the head of it all walked towards me, trying to act calm and collective.

"Howya doin, name's Lick, I'm the one in charge of this here village," This could get bad, I decide to press him and question his authority.

"So you're the mayor?" I had my sword tucked behind my back on my belt.

"You could say that... Now word is you haven't paid the toll." He was trying to rob me blind. I decide to play along, keeping a serious face.

"And how much is this toll?"

"Oh it's not much, say about 2000 bits?"

"So how come the guards haven't come to arrest me for not paying this 'toll'?"

"That's what we're for, unless you pay up." Intimidation, it wasn't going to work, I decide to lower the bait.

"I'm not, you want to 'arrest' me, you're going to have to come with some actual guards, not this sorry bunch." I walk towards a hole in their ranks and try to get through, the leader blocking my path.

"Now hold on there, are you sure you've got your head on straight, cause it looks to me like my 'guards' can help you?" they started to surround me, I reached behind and grab my spear. Their intent was hostile but unarmed. I brought out my spear and brought it down to my side. I catch a glimpse the sun setting.

"My head's on perfectly fine, now I'll be on my way," I picked up the leader by the cuff of his shirt and threw him to the side, he landed holding his neck. Negotiations have failed, now I do it my way. The sun disappeared.

"GET HIM!" I spun the spear around my neck and slammed it down onto the first one, I jumped high and sped down to deliver a bone crushing punch to the next colt, knocking him out. I stomped down on one leg to channel force and swing my other leg in a wide arc, delivering a roundhouse kick that breaks the next colt's jaw and cracks his skull. I used the retained momentum of the centripetal force to kick up my spear and hit another colt in the side, fracturing what I count to be four ribs. four down, ten to go, minus the leader. He scurried and hid behind a barrel. The rest of the colts pulled out various weapons: chains, clubs, and even battle axes.

Rules of Engagement have changed: Hostiles now show lethal intent, fight to kill.

I slowly draw my new blade, the edge glimmers in the light of the rising moon. My warriors blood springs forth into action as a group of three rush towards me, two of them throwing chains at me while the other rushes with a battle axe. I sidestep as the chains wrap around my blade and the battle axe comes down on the chains. I slip my katana through and bring down the blade onto the chains now wrapped around the battleaxe.

'Zantetsuken (Iron Cutting Blade)'

The blade severs both the chains and the stave supporting the axehead in one quick movement. I bring my right leg behind my left and twist to bring my blade around for a wide-arced slash, severing all three of their heads. I had the moon behind me, and used the blade's newly polished luster to blind 2 oncoming colts. The dropped their weapons to tend to their eyes, I brought the blade down on one colt's shoulder, while finishing the other with a horizontal slash to the abdomen, blood spurting out of his mouth as he choked. The final five approached carefully. I saw Auburn come out of his workshop to see the grizzly scene outside his store, he shies away and locks himself inside. I lowered my blade, the blood on it quickly thinning out and dripping off the tip, leaving the blade spotless, ready for the next wave, I was soon met by the scared guard coming towards me.

"Let me help!" The guard said with sincerity, he pulled his sword from the sheath at his side. I sheathed mine and crouched into a quickdraw stance, the guard confused. I nodded to the guard, a signal to charge. I dashed towards the remaining 5 gang members, them doing the same, but in a linear fashion. I hated to say this, but they really were just lining up to die. My movement speed was undeniably faster, due to my longer legs, I could cover more ground and generate momentum. I slashed through the first before he even moved his arms to swing, then jumped and cut straight through the second, flipped over the third for him to be stabbed by the guard, then stabbed the fourth, throwing the corpse to collide into the fifth one then jumped high into the air.

'Tsuibangeki (Earth Shatter)'

I pointed my sword downward as I was falling, and landed straight onto both of them, my sword skewering the two colts torsoes straight through the heart, the impact of the landing indenting the ground around us. I jumped off and casually slid my sword out of the two dead ponies, flicked the blood of my sword, and sheathed it. then I caught sight of the running leader, who tripped on his own hooves and started crawling away. I walked over to my spear, grabbed it, tossed it and nailed the leader's coat to the ground, right outside Auburn's shop.

"So what do we do with you?" I towered over the leader pinned to the ground. He started to grovel.

"PLEEEASE DON'T KILL ME!!!" I crouched down to meet his view at eye level.

"What a sorrowful grovelling sack of shit you are," I looked up at Auburn.

"I remember you, you threatened to burn down my house if I refused to give you your bits." I looked over to the guard and shook my head, a social cue to leave us alone.

"How the mighty have fallen, was it just you fifteen? Decided to get some weapons then take over due to the lack of guards..." I stood up and drew my sword, Auburn picking the poor fool up by his front hooves. I leisurely hovered the tip of my blade over his throat. He gulped in response.

"Auburn, your call, I know nothing about this poor ass except he tried to get a toll from me. What say you about this fucker?"

"He's Lick, runs the Axe Trotters, well what's left of it. He came to town with 14 colts saw we had almost no defenses and went to town, killing the mayor, extorting the shops for supplies, etc."

"How many guards are in this town?"

"There use to be five, but then he killed off the two he didn't need, he just keeps the two at the town entrance and that one loner over there for appearances."

"How come no outside towns have helped?"

"Well one, no pony actually knows about us except for the diamond dogs that trade here sometimes, and two, Lick blocked off all methods of communication to the outside world." I had the perfect thing for this son of a bitch. I took out a blow dart and ripped off the feathery end of it, leaving only the needle, perfect.

"There's no mayor or judge there is there?" Auburn nodded, "Do you mind dragging his sorry ass to town square?" He shook his head, I liked this guy.

In the center of town we had the surviving goons jailed and a crowd surrounded us.

"So, Lick! Do you know why you're here?" I paced around him with my hands around my back, "You are here because you got drunk off your own power of numbers, yet you stand here under a ponies' court. I, Aoi Myoujin, will serve as judge and if need be, executioner," I drew my sword for emphasis, "'Your' town will be witnesses and jury for crimes you have committed as such." I dragged my blade on the ground, forcing him to sit.

"Court is now in session. You are the defense, make your opening statement." he stammered but was to scared to utter a single word, in the end he bowed his head in silence.

"Very well, the prosecution, your opening statement please." I motioned a hand towards Auburn.

"Before we continue," Auburn interjected, "a moment of silenced to be held for all who have died tonight."

"I'll allow it." We bow our heads for a few seconds, then Auburn breaks the silence.

"Done." The crowd snickers.

"Ahem, May the prosecution announce the charges brought to us?" Auburn pulls out a blank piece of parchment and pretends to read it.

"Murder, theft, extortion, threat to the common good, a threat to pony life, assault, and attempted murder."

"Defense, how to you plead?" The colt stammers for words again but finally gives up and whispers 'Guilty'.

"So the defense admits to the crimes, what say you the jury?" the crowd goes wild with suggestions: burn him alive, throw him in a rotting cell, chain him up and tape him to a flag pole.

"I'd say that constitutes as them finding you guilty. As for your punishment that is up to me to decide." He starts to panic, giving me the cover I need to stab the needle into a heart meridian point on the back of his neck, a little to the left of his mane line. He then starts crying and asks me in a whimpering voice.

"What are you going to do?..."

"Me? I've already passed out your sentence, as you can see, you can no longer move, in a few seconds you won't be able to speak. You've now become a living statue, and guess what, no one's going to help you. You'll be watching and listening as the world goes by, but you won't be able to do a single... damn... thing..." I walk slowly away from him, "Case dismissed." The crowd went berserk as confetti went into the air, I used the havoc to slip away out of town on a back road.

"Now to check on supplies." I had a katana now, a solid weapon for defense. I left my spear at Auburn's place with a note, saying he could keep it as I no longer needed it. I had a sizable amount of food that I bought, and a large sum of cash. I pulled out my map to mark my next destination...

Stalliongrad...