Prelude:

Leon Christo had been living in Canterlot for just over a year now studying at the Canterlot's School for Aspiring Artists. In that time, he had gained the respect of many students and teachers at the school, for being the one of the best artists they've ever had at the school. However, with this reputation, came a great consequence. A number of students began to bully him because of his exceptional talents. But, he chose to keep the bullying to himself, as he didn't want anybody to worry about him.

He was walking home from school one day, and, took his usual route through an alleyway to get to his house. It was his least favorite part of walking home, as the alleyway was cold, dark and damp and the putrid and rancid smell of the trash cans lingered in the stale air that seem to permeate around the area. However, that one day was one that would forever change his life...

"Hey Christo! Where are you off to in such a hurry?" asked a white colored pegasus pony with white hair, as he walked out from behind a dumpster, blocking Leon's path.

Rolling his eyes, Leon began to answer back, "Listen Michael! I haven't got time for this. Now if you'd kindly move out of my way, before I-Woah!". However, before he could finish his sentence he was tackled to the ground from behind, and was being restrained as five other ponies proceeded to tie him up.

"Now I need to have a little word with you. See this is how it is, because of you getting the highest marks in the year by a good 20%, my parents are forcing me to take extra classes, go out less, my pocket money is being cut off AND my Father would rather have some street urchin like you for a son, than me!"

Sunny began to respond, "Well maybe if you'd-ARGGH!" but was cut off with a kick to the face from Michael. A sickening crunch could he heard as his nasal bone broke under the force of the stallion's kick. He couldn't even clutch his face in pain as his hooves were tied. Blood flowed freely from his broken nose and pooled on the cold cobbled floor.

"You'll speak when I tell you to speak!" an enraged Michael now yelled at the bloody faced Leon. "It's all your fault that everything has gone downhill. Before, you came to the school I was the best in the year. I was able to do whatever I pleased! My family loved me! Then when you came, all of that was taken from me! And, it's not just me! All of these ponies here have been affected by your presence at the school. So...I think you need to be punished for ruining the lives of so many ponies!" Michael finished with a deranged look in his eyes, "Claude, I want you to gag this street rat up. I want to make sure no one hears him scream from what we're about to do to him."

As the red unicorn pony named Claude, stuffed Leon's mouth with some cloth and taped his mouth shut. Leon's crimson eyes were now filled with fear. Fear of what these six ponies were going to do to him.

Meanwhile, Twilight and Sunny had both finished a long day at school, and, were both walking towards Twilight's house for a study session to prepare for an 'Advances in Magical Studies in the Last Century' test tomorrow.

They stopped outside of a store as Mrs. Sparkle had asked Twilight to get some groceries for her on the way back home. Sunny was waiting outside of the store for Twilight to come out, when he heard groans coming from the alleyway next to the store.

Looking in to the alleyway he was horrified at the sight before him. There were six ponies 2 earth, 2 pegasus and 2 unicorns all surrounding the bloody body of another pegasus pony. All of their hooves were covered in blood. The horns of the unicorns were also covered in blood. The groans were coming from the seemingly lifeless body on the ground.

He knew he had to do something to stop this crime. But, he wasn't going to stupidly go in alone, with no plan on how to stop them.

Just then, a voice next to him spoke up, "Sunny what are you doing looking in thi-MPPHMM!" her eyes went wide at the sight she saw, but was quickly silenced by Sunny's hoof covering her mouth and pulling her away.

Once, he had gotten her to calm down he told her, "Listen, very carefully Twi! You need to go get help! Call an ambulance to come over here quickly! Get the police as well! Meanwhile, I'll stay here and think of a way to divert those ponies attention away from that poor pegasus pony."

Just when Twilight, was about to open her mouth is disapproval he carried on, "Listen I know you aren't happy with that, but, time is really crucial here! There's no knowing how much time that pony has left. So every second matters, no please go get help!"

Knowing she wasn't going to win this argument. She quickly hurried off into the store again to get access to a telephone to call for help.

Meanwhile, Sunny looked back onto the scene in front of him, looking everywhere for something, anything that could help him with diverting their attention. Looking around the alleyway all he could see were: trashcans, a few bricks lying on the ground, a few empty glass bottles. The cogs of his brain were working over-time as he thought out all the possible strategies in his head, what actions would his assailants take, how he'd stop or counteract those actions in his favor. In short, he played out the entire scene in his, going through the steps like a flash forward. All of this was done in the space of just a few seconds showing the true cognitive power that he was gifted with.

Putting the first part of his plan into action, he focused his magic on the heads of the six ponies, and, began to cast a 'Shadow Blind' spell. Whilst, it took a lot of effort to perform just the one spell on multiple ponies. He could tell he was successful just seconds later, from all the shouts he heard of: 'H-hey what's going on!', 'Why has everything gone dark?' and "Oh Celestia! I'm blind!'

Quickly, putting the second part of his plan into action, he got out from his hiding place and using a 'Levitation' spell to pick up two bricks, he proceeded to smash the bricks into the two unicorn's heads, before, they could dispel his incantation.

Hearing the sound of the bricks breaking against the skulls of the unicorns and the dull thumps the two bodies made when they impacted against the cobbled floor. Michael still blinded, turned towards the direction of the noise and yelled with a new found fear laced in his voice, "W-who's there?...C-come out and show yourself!"

As the four ponies made their way blindly, towards the source of the sound. Sunny began step three of his plan of action, using another 'Levitation' spell he threw a bottle, in the opposite direction. The sound of the glass shattering, causing all of the ponies to turn around. Using this as a distraction, he grabbed a couple more bricks and proceeded to knock out the two earth ponies, whilst, at the same time chucking a few more bottles in different areas to confuse the remaining two pegasus ponies, about what exactly was going on.

By this time, the other pegasus, that was with Michael had become incredibly freaked out, and, decided he would rather fly away blind, then have to face this 'hero'. However, because he was blind, he ended up smashing himself head-first into a wall, knocking himself out.

Only Michael remained of the six ponies, and, by this point he was terrified. Not being able to see anything around him, and not knowing what happened to his friends. He could only imagine what must've happened to them.

Sunny, by now had completely calmed down as he used one last 'Levitation' spell to put the final part of his plan into action. Michael, wondering what was going to happen to him, was suddenly lifted up in to the air.

"H-Hey! Put me down! What are you doing?" he yelled as he was carried towards an open dumpster and dropped into it. Sunny, then proceeded to use his magic to seal the dumpster, preventing Michael from escaping. Now that all six ponies had been taken care of, he quickly, rushed to Leon's side to examine the damage. It didn't look good.

A lot of the skin on his face had been scrapped of leaving it a bloody mess. His left eye was severely damaged, with it having swollen up and turned black with pus starting to leak out of it. His nose was definitely broken, as it was bent inwards. He had several stab wounds across his legs and body, most likely from the unicorn's horns. His wings were also splayed out in awkward positions, suggesting they had been broken. The majority of his body was covered in his own blood. Underneath, all the blood there were bruises all over his body from the intense beating they gave him. The blood also covered some burns around his legs. He was barely breathing, and it was getting weaker and weaker as time moved on. His wounds were still leaking out blood at an alarming rate.

Sunny began to use his magic to slow down the rate at which blood was leaving his wounds, and used the little bits of first aid magic he knew to seal up some of his wounds. He continued his best efforts to keep him breathing up until, Twilight came with both doctors and police ponies.

As he was being stretchered off to the hospital, Leon groaned to his saviors, "W-Wha...What are y-your names?

"The name's Sunny and this is Twilight." he said whilst, pointing to the purple unicorn beside him, "You're safe now. So rest up." he continued with a look of worry, as he wondered whether he was going to make it or not.

"T-tha...Thank...you." Leon groaned out before losing consciousness.