Vinyl Scratch - Napalm Nanokiller

by Steventheman

Rating: mature
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Romance, Random, Adventure
Length: 13429

Vinyl Scratch gets nanotechnological enhancements...and proceeds to kill EVERYTHING!

Vinyl Scratch, after breaking into a gold factory, suffers an unfortunate smelting accident. However, she is saved by the wonders of nanotechnology! Now she must become Equestria's greatest hero/threat and use her powers for great moral ambiguity!

Oh, and to seduce a forklift. For as the Good Book says, in Flavaflav 18:9…"We shalt bone inanimate objects, at thy discretion, o Lord. For when we get badass nano enhancements, what the Hell dost thou expect, Lord?"

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-08-25 05:41:11 UTC

Walking the Streets of a Former Hell

Vinyl Scratch: Napalm Nanokiller.

By Steventheman

Chapter 1

Walking the Streets of a Former Hell

"Stop!" the Royal Guard yelled as Vinyl ran through the gold factory. "You dropped your ID!"

"Fuck the police!" the infamous Vinyl Scratch shouted in reply to the unfit guard, undoing a knot securing a box to cause the large amount of barrels contained within to fall towards the guard. The guard screamed as the barrels full of gold smashed into him, breaking his right foreleg in five places, breaking his left foreleg at the knee joint, shattering his ribcage and puncturing both lungs, causing massive internal bleeding and a slow, suffocating death.

Vinyl kept running past the bemused workers as she cantered further into the bowels of the gold factory.

"The fuck is that?" one Earth Pony worker in full safety gear said to his good friend.

"I dunno- Wait! No!" the second worker tried to shout as Vinyl pushed a lever down, causing a comically oversized, overhead pipe which was in clear violation of the Equestrian industrial Health and Safety laws to burst and shower an absurd amount of molten gold on the workers, causing severe third-degree burns over much of their surface area. Oh, and a very agonizing death by shock to the nervous system and the destruction of vital regions of the body.

Alarms activated around the factory. Vinyl looked around, to see medical and heatproof-suited clean-up crews approaching the pool of molten gold.

"Shit!Shit!This is fucked! This is so fucked!" a crewpony said, surveying the extensive damage.

Vinyl looked at a forklift and then the clean-up crews. She grinned as ideas formed in her tasty unicorn brain...

"Hey hey motherfuckers!" Vinyl boomed, smiling like a madmare as she careered towards the crews in her vehicle of demise.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" a medic yelled, dragging a burnt worker from the deluge of burnination.

Vinyl could only laugh as the Doomlift (As she now called the piece of machinery she was sexually attracted to.) bore down upon the medical pony and her unfortunate patient, who by this point was most likely already dead.

The Doomlift pushed the two into the fiery lake of shiny, molten refined ore. They screamed as they dissolved like the Terminator at the end of Terminator 2. Except that it was molten steel in the movie.

"You're not gonna be back any time soon." Vinyl smirked as the clean-up crews stared in horror. The Doomlift turned around, as it had developed an intelligence powered by pony blood and Vinyl's love.

Doomlift honked his own horn as he accelerated towards the silver-suited workers. They moved out of the way, revealing a pipe revealing a very large warning sign.

"WARNING! THERE'S A METRIC FUCKTON OF HOT SHIT IN HERE."

"Nooooo!" Vinyl screamed as Doomlift slowly rolled towards the pipe of inevitable, golden and slightly warm doom. "Not like this! I wanted to die in a giant blood orgy at 45!"

The Doomlift tapped the pipe, causing no discernible or detectable damage.

"Phew. That was way too close..." Vinyl said, relieved that she didn't suffer a golden shower. The workers looked at her with fury in their eyes for their fallen colleagues.

And then the factory exploded.

"Okay, it's time." a mare's voice said. "Wake up...Miss Scratch...wake up and smell the ashes."

Vinyl wondered how about a pipe-full of molten gold to her pretty pony face didn't kill her. She decided that she was too hardcore to die like that, and was indeed destined to die in her dream blood orgy.

"Uhh..." Vinyl moaned. "What happened?"

"Ah! She's alive!" the mare said, surprised. "What happened was that you drove a forklift into a pipe full of molten gold and destroyed a factory. But the factory housed a whole bunch of terrorism containers so the government said 'Eh, fuck it.' and let you off with a warning."

"Oh." Vinyl said. "That's cool of them."

Vinyl finally opened her eyes, expecting a clean, sterile hospital room. Instead, she got a dirty basement, full of boxes which in themselves were full of random shit.

"The fuck is this?" Vinyl grunted. "You haven't harvested my organs, right?"

"Nope." the mare said, shiftily. "On the contrary; we have improved you. It's just that the technology used to do so was stolen from a government research plant near North South Manehattan, so they gon' be on yo' ass."

"Ah fuck." Vinyl said, annoyed.

"Now, Ms. Scratch." the medical mare said, laying a hoof on Vinyl. "You must become the very best...like nopony ever was."

Vinyl looked up at the medic. "To waste them is my real test? To murder is my cause?"

"You must travel across the land, searching far and wide."

"Each pony to understand..."

"And to consume what's inside!" the mare shouted.

"Nanomare!" Vinyl declared triumphantly. "It's you and me! I must fulfil my destiny!"

"Okay, this is fucking ridiculous." the malicious medic mare said. "Just go and kill shit, we can make a fucking fantastic fortune on the super snuff film market."

"Works for me!" Vinyl said, hopping off the crates arranged to be an operating table.

"By the way, I might have left a glove in you. You're fine with that, right?"

"Yeah sure, whatever."

"But it could be quite dang-"

"Love, I just survived the hottest golden shower in Equestria. If that didn't kill me, your pussy-ass biodegradable medical gloves won't do shit!" Vinyl said, punching the random boxes to test her new limbs.

Vinyl ran from the basement, leaving behind a very proud mad medical mare.

"Make me proud, Scratch." she sniffed. "Make me proud."

Faith is for the Transient People

Chapter 2.

Faith is for the Transient People

Vinyl walked down the large, but narrow street. Save for a few drug-addled, homeless bums, it was completely empty. Vinyl admired the one clean house in the entire neighborhood as she started to get used to walking again. She wondered how long she had been out for.

"Heh...This morning I was running from the police...and now...it's snowing?" Vinyl said to herself. watching the snow descend, trying to remember the events that took place in the gold factory.

"Oh I forgot to mention-" a mare's voice said, causing Vinyl to literally jump out of her skin. Before any vicious, nasty pathogens could cause damage, however, she re-attached herself to her skin using nanomagic or something.

"You scared the shit outta me, Doc!" Vinyl screeched. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the house. Or am I inside your mind?" the doctor said, in an clear attempt to mess with Vinyl.

"Don't piss around, Doc..." Vinyl said, her blood starting to boil. The doctor annoyed her enough by scaring her.

"I have some dials and gauges here...looks like you're getting...angry..." the doctor's voice said, starting to slow up and become more feminine. "Tell me how you feeeel?" she continued, condescendingly.

"I'm warning you, bitch..." Vinyl said. She could almost feel something unlocking inside her.

"How does it feel, Vinnie? Please..." the doctor moaned. "Tell me how angry you are..."

"Shut up!" Vinyl shouted at herself, causing a passing pony to look at her strangely. Vinyl stared at the pony in question. "What the fuck are you looking at!?"

"Nothing!" the unfortunate soul said, running away from the nano-enhanced DJ.

Vinyl heard lighter and lighter moaning from the doctor. "Are you fucking getting off to this!?"

"Yes!" the doctor said. Vinyl grimaced as she heard the doctor finish herself off from down the line.

"That's just weird." Vinyl said, disgusted.

"I like making ponies angry." the doctor said, panting. "I really like it."

"You're real fucked up, you know that?!"

"Eh, try it if you want." the doctor said. "It can't hurt. We're open."

"Uh..." Vinyl said, creeped out. "Whatever, Medick."

Wait. Medick. Medick.

Vinyl mentally gave herself a high-hoof for making it up.

"Okay, Vinnie." Medick said.

"Don't call me that!"

"Please, Vinnie. I need to recharge." Medick said, still breathing deeply. "Unless you find time to...come back here for a while?"

"I'll pass, Medick." Vinyl said. "I made my vows to Doomlift."

"Doomlift most likely died in the gold factory." Medick said. "You have to get over him, Vinnie. And you can get over me any time..."

"Really." Vinyl said, unimpressed with Medick's flirting.

"No. Like fuck we'd let you be on top." Medick said.

"So what do you want?"

"You need to deal with some government agents heading to your position." Medick said. "They're armed, but they'll make good practise with your new enhancements."

"That's it?" Vinyl said flatly. "Just some G-Colts?"

"We'd find cover if we were you." Medick said. "I'd hate to see my Vinnie become Swiss cheese." Medick said, now with a malicious tone in her voice.

"Shut up!" Vinyl said. "I'm not 'yours' and I never will be, you psycho!"

"Vinnie. Please. Still recharging." Medick said. "You're missing out, though, you know. We haven't had sex in a long time...we'd quiver at your very touch!" Medick said, trying to sound seductive. To a normal heterosexual stallion, it would've worked. Vinyl was in no mood for such bullshit.

"Look dammit, just because I'll sleep with anypony...or well, anything, doesn't mean I'll sleep with you." Vinyl said, extremely annoyed now.

"One thing." Medick stated. "You called me a psycho. I'm not a psychopath. I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research, Vinnie."

"You say that as if I fucking care about the difference." Vinyl replied coldly.

"Watching your dials, Vinnie. Good luck." Medick said. "And try not to die. It reflects badly on us."

Medick went silent. Vinyl shuddered as she imagined that she was probably masturbating furiously after making her angry again. Vinyl walked down the street, searching for cover before the G-colts arrived.

Vinyl noticed a small hedgerow near another house. Ducking down behind it, she noticed the government agents.

There were three of them. All sharp-suited stallions, wearing sunglasses.

"Medick, I see them." Vinyl whispered. No reply, aside from a very quiet buzzing sound and some breathing. "...How does she have the stamina..?" Vinyl asked herself, before looking at the agents again.

"Looks like I have go in blasting." she said to herself, warming up her horn.

The Young Descendant of Tepes

Chapter 3

The Young Descendant of Tepes.

"Delta Team, check in." one agent said, checking his equipment. "No sign of the changeling."

"Alpha Team, zero sightings, over." the radio crackled back.

"I bet it was some stupid fucking teenagers again." a second agent said to an older stallion. "We haven't had an actual incident for about two months. This sucks!"

"They should rename this department the Taxpayer's Nightmare." the squad leader joked, chuckling to himself.

"Fuckin' A." the third said. He used his magic to remove a cigarette from his lips. "Seriously, fuck this job. Going all over the country on the whims of some drunk teenager."

"Yep." the first agent replied, looking around. "You know what, we should just go home."

"And do the metric fuckton of paperwork that comes with every single callout?" the leader said. "I'm content to stay here and fuck around for a while. Anything to delay the damn paperwork."

Vinyl listened in on them, still warming up her horn for its first use since her coma. They weren't looking for the stolen nanotech. Medick was just being paranoid.

"Medick, these guys are just looking for a changeling." Vinyl said.

"I know. The fuck you think called them?" Medick said, still panting.

"You're shitting me." Vinyl replied. "You called out the Changeling Agency just so I could kill 'em?"

"Yes." Medick said, flatly. "Well, it's not like they're useful any more."

"But-"

"But fucking nothing, Vinnie. I want to see you drinking their blood, is that clear?!"

"You fucking what!?" Vinyl shouted. She looked quickly at the agents, who were too busy trying to buy drugs to hear her outburst.

"I'm half-joking." Medick replied, still in her calm, clinical tone of voice. "Your hooves were completely destroyed in the factory, so they have been replaced with...let's call them sponges."

"So I'm walking on sponges." Vinyl deadpanned, still checking out the drug deal.

"Yes. Now, magic is what powers your nano-enhancements. If you run out of magic, you will die."

"You didn't tell me this back in the house!" Vinyl yelled, absolutely furious.

"Heh. Whatever." Medick said, dismissive of the now-completely enraged Vinyl. "Anyway, you're good for about twenty three hours. Of course, you're going to have to replenish your magic before you explode."

"Fuck you, Medick! Fuck you!"

"I saved your fucking life, you ungrateful bitch." Medick snarled. Vinyl felt herself smile a bit at finally managing to get at her. "If you don't listen to me, I will fucking eat you. I will eat your parents, and I will eat your fucking soul, is that fucking clear, Vinnie?!"

"I dare you."

Vinyl laughed as Medick growled and shouted down the line before hanging up. She looked at the agents, now sitting on the kerb, smoking blunts. Vinyl thought one thing as she approached them.

Vinyl Scratch was very pissed off at being given a time limit, and luckily for her, some guys just volunteered as punching bags.

"Hey, lady!" one of the agents said, obviously starting to fall under the influence. "You seen any changelings around here?"

"No." Vinyl said flatly.

"Damn." he replied, taking another puff from the blunt. "So, you got a husband at home or somethin'?"

"For a certain definition." Vinyl replied, thinking of her forklift. She started to concentrate her magic.

"Shit guys, she's taken." the stoned agent said to his comrades.

Vinyl closed her eyes and focused her magic through her form, the electrical impulses of her nerves becoming super-charged, and the inherent magic within her becoming manifest through the electrical energy provided by the nervous system. Vinyl felt the bolts coursing through her, as she began to smile wickedly in the magic-induced battle trance.

"Melody Sign!" she shouted, her horn emitting blinding blue light. "All Your Bass Are Belong To Me!"

"What the fuc-" the agent said, before being blasted by a face full of magic and killed instantly due to magic overload and the nature of the spell causing nervous and burn injuries, in addition to life energies being stolen by the nature of the Spell Card.

Vinyl jumped back from the two living agents, who were currently freaking out over the spell and their dead friend.

"You maniac!" the leader shouted. "Verity Sign: True Nature!"

The leader's horn glowed and sent out a white beam, which scanned Vinyl, before turning green.

"You're no changeling..." the leader agent whispered, before Vinyl's hoof struck him with enough force to break his neck, the act severing his skull from his spinal column. Due to the extensive nervous damage caused by a sudden internal decapitation, his death was inevitable and was in a median time for such incredible injuries.

The last agent started to run away. Vinyl began to chase him down.

"Alpha Team, requesting immediate backup!" he shouted into his radio. "We're under attack! Send in the fucking Guard! The Marines! Anyp-"

Vinyl cut off the agent by using her new augments to catch up to him easily, before sweeping his legs, the force of which severing them via massive blunt force. Such injuries are most often fatal, and it was the case here. The agent crashed to the ground, dead on impact.

"Vinnie. I just picked up on the scanner that they're deploying counter-changeling Guard forces. You've managed to trick them into thinking there's an attack force!"

"It's not my fault one ran off!" Vinyl argued, her hooves glowing as the magic from the three slain unicorns coursed through her body.

"I wasn't criticizing you. You fight like an army!" Medick said, cheerfully. "And you recorded it all! I mean, using a Spell Card like that? We're gonna be fucking rich, Vinnie!"

"How much is my cut?" Vinyl asked, walking down the street away from the three dead agents.If I'm the henchmare of a sexually perverted sociopathic doctor, I want to at least get a good pay.

"You get fourty percent." Medick stated, matter-of-factly.

"Bullfuck!" Vinyl shouted, kicking a junkie's head off in rage. "How come you get more money than me!?"

"Simple. I have the big dick in our relationship, Vinnie. Big dick wants big profit. And if you mess with me, big dick is gonna fuck you hard."

"...Where the fuck were you going with that metaphor?" Vinyl questioned, half-curious and half-terrified that Medick actually had a penis.

"Not important." Medick said, trying to hoofwave the question.

"Right..." Vinyl replied, looking around for any soldiers. "Now what am I going to do about these fucking soldiers?"

"Counter-changeling troops are basically weekend soldiers." Medick said. "Come back to the house...I have something that will rake the money in."

With that, Medick dropped the line. Vinyl looked up into the sky, wondering how her life got so messed up.

"Shit, I wish I stuck with that cute cello player now..." Vinyl said to herself, before trying to remember where Medick's base was...

Necrofantasia

Chapter 4

Necrofantasia

"Medick..." Vinyl said, poking the object before her. "Where the hell did you..."

"It's amazing, right?" Medick said, holding the giant object. "It took some effort to obtain."

Vinyl stroked the length of the large green tube before her with her hoof. "Ooh...it's so warm."

"Aw yeah..." Medick said. "See that? Pure magic baby!"

Vinyl licked the object again and shuddered. "It tastes like blood!"

Medick smirked. "That would be the last poor bastard who got fucked by this thing."

Vinyl picked up the weapon. "How'd you get a rocket launcher?!"

Medick chuckled. "Broke into a military base."

"Do you own anything that wasn't stolen from the Royal Guard?"

"I can't recall...Wait, I think I own a TV that belonged to somepony in the Navy. He cheated on me so I cut his penis off and beat him to death with it." Medick said, fondly regarding her memory.

"That's deep." Vinyl joked.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Medick said. "I need to show you something..."

Vinyl braced for what horror Medick was about to unleash. It could've been a mutant, or the King in Yellow, or a shotgun that fired concentrated war crimes...or even a frilly maid uniform.

"I was thinking about my 'big dick' metaphor..." Medick said. She lowered her labcoat, locking eyes with Vinyl, who was in the middle of horrible thoughts of herself in a maid uniform. Biting her lip, she revealed the surprise.

"I knew it." Vinyl said, snapping out of her demonic daydream and pointing at Medick. "I knew you had a fucking dick!"

"It's great, isn't it!?" Medick said, a wild smile plastered on her face, her penis hanging limply between her legs.

"I'm not sure whether to run or be sick." Vinyl said, swallowing a lump of vomit back down.

"Well, Vinyl." Medick said. Vinyl immediately went on guard. Medick using her proper name only meant extremely terrible news. "You know me as a mare of science, dedicated to furthering ponykind's evolution through nanotech and other shit that other scientists did the work for."

"Where the fuck are you going with this!?" Vinyl said, now aiming the rocket launcher at Medick.

"Scientific method, Vinyl!" Medick said. "I have a new discovery, in this case, my new penis...and it must be peer tested."

"Seriously? With you? Of all ponies?" Vinyl said, dropping the rocket launcher in disbelief.

"Come on, Vinyl..." Medick said, lightly stroking the other mare's cheek. "I'm a keeper."

"Medick!" Vinyl snapped. "You think I'd get over Doomlift that soon?"

"Forget about Doomlift!" Medick shouted. "He's dead! I'm all you have now!"

"Wrong." Vinyl said, pushing her face into Medick's and grabbing her by the throat. "Now that I know how to keep living, I can just kill you and sleep tonight like a fucking baby."

Medick panicked. Her personal hitpony had turned on her. She needed to think of something...and fast.

"I wouldn't do that." Medick said, trying to hide the fear for her life. "I linked our nanofields."

"You're bluffing."

"I'm not. I die, and you die." Medick said, looking at Vinyl desperately. "Please...don't kill yourself."

"Fine." Vinyl said, throwing Medick to the floor. "But if you fuck me over, then I won't care. Remember that, Medick."

Medick dusted herself off. "My name is Surgical Strike. I'd let the nickname slip because I thought you were retarded."

"You thought wrong, Surge." Vinyl replied.

"Heh. I like that name." Strike said. "One last thing, Vinnie."

"What?"

"Agony Sign: Code Blue!" Strike shouted, before her horn fired a large amount of magic rounds straight into Vinyl's chest.

Vinyl struggled to find her voice as she collapsed to the ground, her left foreleg radiating most of the pain. Her chest exploded in agony as she looked up at Strike, now laughing at Vinyl's predicament. Strike leaned in close to the stricken Vinyl.

"Now listen to me, little filly...Every time you fuck with me, you're gonna suffer a myocardial infarction. Do you know what that is?"

Vinyl didn't reply, her left hoof over her chest, her face slick with sweat and contorted in pure torment.

"That's a heart attack you're currently experiencing. If I helped you now, you could live...but if I don't, your chances of survival are slim. That pain in your chest is angina pectoris, caused by ischemia. It is being caused by the lack of oxygen and blood in that area." Surgical Strike explained, calmly watching Vinyl writhe on the ground.

"You...bitch!" Vinyl spat, feeling light-headed from the pain.

"Do you want me to help you, Ms. Scratch?" Strike said, examining her hoof in a gesture of apathy.

Vinyl couldn't bear the suffering any more. "Yes! Please...please help me..." Vinyl sobbed.

"Okay then. First promise that you will never raise a hoof to me again."

"I..."

"I what, Scratch?"

"I promise..." Vinyl said, her vision fading.

"I don't believe you." Strike replied, staring at Vinyl.

"I promise! I swear on the Goddess that..." Vinyl gulped. "I promise..."

"Okay. But only because I'm nice." Strike said, her horn glowing. "Revival: End Torments."

Vinyl felt the pain wash away from her and her vision returned to normal. Spluttering for breath, she broke eye contact with Surgical Strike.

"You want to hear something funny?" Strike said, leaning down next to Vinyl. "You weren't having a heart attack. I just simulated one. I'm surprised you didn't die of shock."

"Surge...I fucking hate you."

"I love you too, Vinnie." Strike looked up. "The troops should be here by now...but I've had my fun. You may rest for tonight."

Vinyl watched as Strike left the basement and she promised herself that Strike will pay for this incident.

"Surgical Strike...I am going to kill you." Vinyl said. "You don't deserve life."

Phantom Ensemble

Chapter 5

Phantom Ensemble

Vinyl slowly opened her eyes, to the view of the dark basement. Shaking herself awake, she recalled the events of last night...the agents, the rocket launcher, the heart attack...the penis...

"You're finally fucking awake." Strike said, standing in the corner.

"Did you make the dick go away?" Vinyl asked.

"Yes. It was hard to sleep without getting the urge to suck myself off. After the fourth time I dismissed it." Strike said, without a single care.

"You're really fucked up, you know that right?"

"Whatever." Strike dismissed. "The soldiers are gone, and it's time for your first assignment."

Strike walked over to Vinyl and lit her horn up. There was a flash, before a document appeared in front of Vinyl.

"Octavia Melody." Strike said, levitating a picture of a grey Earth Pony. "Cello player for the Canterlot Imperial Band. Ex-Royal Marine-"

"-Was stationed in the Griffonia Union during the Felis Question and is an advertising spokespony for Non-Unicorn Spell Cards and various PTSD charities. I have a history with her." Vinyl interrupted.

"Right." Strike said. "Recently, she came out in saying that military nanotechnology is not needed and research pertaining to it should be halted."

"That sounds like Octy." Vinyl said, fondly remembering the fun times she shared with Octavia. The music, the laughter, the high sex drive she had...

"I want her eliminated for these remarks." Strike said, tapping the folder. "She's in the Manehattan Empire Hotel. I want to see her get destroyed, Vinnie."

Vinyl's expression fell. Did Strike just ask her to kill her ex-marefriend?

"Are you asking me...to kill my ex-marefriend?" Vinyl asked.

"Yes, I am. And I'm in a rectal haemorrhage mood so if you don't do it, the world will fall from your ass."

Vinyl looked Strike in the eye and smirked. "You know how long I was waiting for this chance?"

"Remarkable. I thought you would be hesitant." Strike said. "You remind me of myself. I have never been so proud."

Vinyl silently snarled at that remark. "If she wanted me to be hesitant in killing her, then she should've been more careful not to leave her bandmate's panties in my fucking carriage!" Vinyl shouted, the feeling of betrayal and rage welling up in her.

"That's some good anger, Vinnie, but I am spent after last night. Save it for when you see her again." Surgical Strike replied, heading out the door. "One last thing, Vinnie: Don't let your rage get in the way of your job. I'm trying to cut down on masturbation."

With that, Strike left Vinyl alone on the bed. She looked through the information about Octavia. It mentioned her spell cards and military training, and various other information about her. Vinyl knew most of it anyway, but she read to ensure that she was ready.

Vinyl stood in the subway station and watched her train depart. As busy commuters swanned past her, she began walking against the flow of the crowd, pushing ponies out of the way recklessly.

She saw the station exit. As she ascended, she checked that her systems were working, and she remembered her spells.

"Taxi!" Vinyl shouted.

A yellow carriage pulled up next to Vinyl. "Where to?" the driver, an overweight zebra asked.

"The Manehattan Empire Hotel." Vinyl answered.

After what seemed like hours, the taxi pulled up to the hotel. Vinyl paid the driver and waved him off. As she looked up at the tower, she remembered Octavia's room number. Room 213, May as well take the stairs.

Vinyl approached the hotel doors and pushed them open. Ignoring the beautiful decoration of the lobby, she walked past the reception area.

"Um. Excuse me! Ma'am!" a bespectacled young mare said. "Can I help you?"

Crap, they've got me...make something up Vinyl...

"Ma'am?" the receptionist asked again.

"Oh. Sorry." Vinyl said. "I think I walked into the wrong hotel."

"Oh. Which hotel are you staying at right now?" the receptionist asked. "We have the numbers of all major Manehattan hotels."

Vinyl looked around. "Uhh...where am I?"

"The Manehattan Empire, Ma'am."

"Oh!" Vinyl vocalized, putting effort into the act. "I must have stroked off again. I haven't had much sleep, you know? Anyway, I'll leave now. Sorry to disturb you."

"It's quite alright, Ma'am." the receptionist said. "Have a good day."

As Vinyl left, the receptionist dropped her smile. "Fuckin' retard."

Vinyl looked around the hotel exterior. She had to find a way in...somehow. Vinyl looked down an alleyway, and saw a mare smoking. She looked middle-aged, and she was a beige pegasus.

Vinyl then noticed her clothing.

She was a hotel maid. Vinyl looked up at the hotel again, then at the floor.

"The things I do for vengeance..." Vinyl muttered, before approaching the maid. The maid gave her a quick glance, before turning her head. Vinyl took her chance, and warmed up her horn.

"Early Morning: Lights Out!" Vinyl declared. Her horn fired a bolt of yellow energy at the maid. The maid's eyes widened as she spat the cigarette out of her mouth and produced a red card from her pocket.

"Defensive Strike: Electric Worry!" the maid shouted, before five tendrils burst from the card. Vinyl jumped in the air as all five tendrils landed in the ground, before a massive electric current destroyed the areas they hit. Vinyl looked as five more tendrils fired at her. Vinyl manoeuvred herself in the air, before channelling her magic again.

"Party Time: Ballroom Blitz!" Vinyl shouted, as thousands of magical bullets zoomed towards the maid. She had barely time to react before a significant amount of bullets struck her. The nervous shock caused by the magic bolts sapped her of energy, and impaired her brain activities. She wobbled, and fell to the ground, unconscious.

Vinyl looked around to see if the battle had attracted attention. Surprisingly, nopony in the area had even noticed the confrontation.

Vinyl undid the maid's clothing and dressed herself as the stricken maid. She looked down at the stranger's body, and sighed. Vinyl placed her forelegs under the fallen maid and carried her body inside. Vinyl looked around and noticed a janitor's closet.

"You better thank me for this..." Vinyl whispered into the maid's ear, before unceremoniously shoving her body inside the cramped closet and throwing a spell card in after her.

Now with no pesky maids in her way, Vinyl walked the corridor to the stairs. As Vinyl ascended the cold, concrete staircase, she whispered Octavia's room number repeatedly to herself.

Finally, she arrived. Room 213. Inside was her adulterous ex-fiancée, the mare who held Vinyl's heart in her hooves and then spat in it then had twenty three deformed bastard foals stamp on it before she sodomized it with a claw hammer, and then laughed at Vinyl.

"After this, you bitch. I'll be a free mare..." Vinyl whispered to herself. "I'm going to do what I should've done two years ago."

Vinyl kicked the door down with her rear legs.

"Fury Sign: Timely Hellish Vengeance!" Vinyl furiously yelled, surprising the cello player.

"What the fuck!?" Octavia shouted. She scrambled to the ground as a wave of bullets flew over her.

"Octavia! Stand up so I can fucking end you!" Vinyl screamed.

"Vinyl!?" Octavia replied. She scrambled on the floor for her spell cards. "Vinyl, what are you doing?!"

"I'm doing what I should have done two years ago, you cheating bitch!"

"Is that how it's gonna be?!" Octavia replied. She stood upright, holding a card in her right hoof. "Marine Skill: Per Mare, Per Terram!"

The card fired thousands of bullets at Vinyl. Sensing the danger, Vinyl levitated the broken door in front of herself as a shield. The bullets impacted harmlessly on the wood, and dissipated.

"Vinyl, what the fuck are you trying to pull?" Octavia said, returning to her calm accent.

"Shut up!" Vinyl spat. "Just shut up! Destroy Sign: Life Fusion!"

Vinyl's horn fired a very large beam of light, enough to completely destroy the back wall of the hotel suite. Octavia's ducked out of the way, inhaling the burning scent of where her mane failed to avoid the magic rage beam.

"Do you see now, Melody?!" Vinyl screamed, so loud her throat hurt. "Do you see now the motherfucking Reckoning?!"

"You're out of your mind, Vinyl!" Octavia replied. She grabbed her most powerful spell card. "Illusion Nature: Ghost Ou-"

Vinyl interrupted Octavia by charging her and delivering a weak strike to her face. Several capillaries burst in her cheek, causing blood to pool beneath her skin. This caused a severe contusion. Before Octavia could react act, Vinyl grabbed her by the throat and suplexed Octavia onto the queen-sized bed. Pinning her down, Vinyl bellowed pure fury at Octavia.

Octavia dropped any act of elegance. "You've fucked with the wrong Marine!" Octavia shouted, before she spat straight into Vinyl's mouth. The act surprised Vinyl, which gave Octavia the chance to deliver a powerful backhoof to Vinyl.

Vinyl grunted in pain, before focusing once more on the now upright Octavia.

"No spell cards." Octavia growled. "I'm gonna beat you like a red-maned stepfoal."

"You're gonna fucking die, Octy." Vinyl grunted.

"Is that so?" Octavia said. "Come on then, meido."

Vinyl remembered her outfit. "Oh I am going to enjoy killing you."

"Really? After all we- Shit!"

Octavia didn't react in time to Vinyl's horn glowing.

"Hellbound: Ten Thousand Years!" Vinyl declared, the multicolored magic beams flying in all directions, but all of them curved towards Octavia.

Octavia's screams were cut short by the beams striking her. The magic burnt sections of her flesh, causing severe shock to Octavia. A central green and blue beam struck Octavia in the chest, reversing her injuries, only for the other beams to inflict them again.

"Your performance is cancelled." Vinyl said, calmly for once, before the healing beam was replaced by a deep scarlet beam. This final beam carved its way through Octavia, burning away most of her organs. Her death was instantaneous, as the beam very much destroyed her torso.

The magic disappeared, and four smoking stumps and Octavia's head fell to the floor. Vinyl stared into the pained eyes of Octavia's death gaze, before turning around and leaving. Heading to the stairs, she noticed several MHPD officers charging up the stairs.

Gasping, Vinyl warmed up her horn to engage the officers.

"Hey, lady! Are you-" the lead officer asked Vinyl, before he noticed her horn.

"Flame Sign: Trogdor's Mercy." Vinyl whispered, before a trail of flame wiped out the officers. The stench of burning flesh haunted the air as Vinyl began running. She reached a crowd in the lobby, and blending in with the other maids, she made her escape through the front door, as more police officers and fireponies arrived.

Vinyl chuckled to herself as she ran to the nearest taxi.

Vinyl watched the train depart from the station. Now changed out of her maid uniform, she shuddered and promised herself to never wear such a thing again.

"I better report to Surge..." Vinyl sighed.

Border of Life

Chapter 6

Border of Life

"Vinyl, I think I love you right now." Strike said, reviewing the fight with Octavia. "I mean, shit, I'd have waited until nightfall to attack her in her sleep, but you just blasted the fucking hotel to pieces!"

"Yeah..." Vinyl said.

"And you have the entire city on a high terror alert! They thought a bomb went off in there!" Strike said, a grin as wide as a hyena's.

"So you approve?"

"Five stars, Vinnie." Strike said.

"So, what now?"

"Well, over today, Canterlot is going to be a fucking mess. Prince Blueblood is to make a speech, representing his National Security Council. Imagine the uproar the country would be in-"

"-If I killed a prince during a speech on how his department is keeping ponies safe. Got it."

"Wait, you're just gonna do it?" Strike said. "I thought it would take more convincing!"

"Eh. I didn't vote for Blueblood, and fuck anypony who did because from what I heard, he's a terrible politician."

"Wow...you're about to commit regicide, and you're being really calm over it."  Strike said, standing up from her desk.

"Well, if I don't, you'd only make my lungs rot away or something." Vinyl said, defeated.

"Is that...is that defeat in your voice, Vinnie?" Strike said, absolutely delighted. "Yes! Yes! Now I have you in my pocket! I can take you out, pull your strings and make you dance for my amusement!"

"Uh huh." Vinyl grunted. "But don't think I won't tire of your bullshit."

"I'll treat you like my princess, Vinnie." Strike joked. "You're my pretty pony princess, Vinnie."

"Shut up, Strike." Vinyl said, annoyed. She was getting real tired of Surgical Strike.

Blueblood held his head in his hooves. His department had failed yet again to stop terror attacks on Equestrian soil. He heard the reporter's baying cries in his mind. He could see Celestia turning on him, and recalling her favors and his position as the Minister for National Defense. He could see his career ending before him.

"Fuck..." Blueblood muttered, picking up a phone. "I need a drink."

"Maid Corps." the bored voice answered. "What do you need?"

"It's Blueblood. Bring me two...make it three bottles of scotch, a notepad, quill and ink..." Blueblood said. "And a self-targeting lethal spell card for if my speech goes bad tomorrow."

"Of course, your highness. We will arrive shortly."

Blueblood hung up the phone, before sighing and walking to his bedroom window. He looked up in the sky. It must've been at least late afternoon by now, and he was already drinking.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Blueblood said, loudly. A maid, dressed in a traditional uniform dyed a brilliant royal blue, with various insignias on the sleeve, opened the door, carrying Blueblood's requests.

"Your order, your highness." the maid said, before placing the tray of items she held in telekinesis onto Blueblood's desk.

Blueblood watched the maid leave, smiling at her petite figure. She was a recent recruit to Blueblood's personal Maid Corps, and like all of her comrades, she was trained in knife wielding, throwing, stabbing, slashing and playing with their victims like a cat watching a mouse die. He had never wished for sexual relations among his own corps, if only because of the potential scandal of such affairs and the fact it could damage his maids' trust in him.

The maid closed the door to Blueblood's quarters. Blueblood sighed. He could technically order one of his maids into sex, but he knew that meant being an utter bastard who didn't care about the mares he entrusted his life to, and almost dared to call his friends. Blueblood cared about them. They were his Maid Corps, all one hundred of them, and nopony else's. Blueblood thought about how every royal in Equestria had a personal Maid Corps; Celestia's nuclear weapons defense force, Luna's black ops teams, Cadence's Crystal Revolutionary Guard and even that new princess, Twilight Sparkle had a personal all-unicorn maid division dedicated to spell cards and their devastating effects.

Blueblood opened the first bottle and drank the contents in one move. Throwing the bottle aside, he picked up the quill with his telekinesis.

"I would like to...address the recent attack on the Manehattan Empire Hotel..." Blueblood said to himself, writing his speech.

It had seemed like hours had passed when Blueblood set his quill down again. The speech was easily an hour long, and Blueblood had ran out of alcohol. Picking up the phone again, he dialled his commander.

"Yeah, I need this speech ran down to the Public Affairs office ASAP." Blueblood told the maid-commander down the line. "And...bring another bottle of scotch up..."

Vinyl moved through the streets of Canterlot. Barging past the noble ponies, she headed for the designated position Surgical Strike had given her - a closed office building overlooking Canterlot Gardens, where the prince's speech was due to take place.

Vinyl reached the building, and looking around quickly, she entered when nopony was looking.

"Tenth floor...room zero nine..." Vinyl told herself as she ascended the staircase. Eventually, she reached her destination. Inside the small room, a large military-styled box rested on the desk. Vinyl used her magic to open the box, and found a strange machine inside.

"Vinnie, that's a sniper rifle." Strike said, from inside Vinyl's head. "I had somepony make it for me. Now, you need to watch the flag behind the stage, and you need to account for your height versus his height. You know what I mean?"

Vinyl set up the rifle using her magic. "I got you."

Vinyl looked down the sights and at the ponies in the garden. Some were reporters, waiting for Blueblood to arrive. Some were soldiers on duty there anyways, but some were...maids.

"Dammit, why do maids haunt my every step?" Vinyl whispered to herself. She watched the maids, dressed sharply in royal blue, secure the area. Vinyl's eyes widened as she realised who they were.

They were the Blueblood Maid Corps. His personal army of knife throwing maniacs, selected according to their fierce loyalty to the throne, not for their morals. Their spell cards were designed with only knives in mind. And if they were there, then Blueblood wasn't far behind. Vinyl worriedly looked around for more of Blueblood's maids.

Vinyl knew one thing though. Once she took the shot, she would have to get out of Canterlot, kill or no kill. The Maid Corps would cut her to pieces if she didn't.

"The rifle is using a .338 round, so it should have maximum impact. Issue is, it's loud as fuck." Strike said. "There should be a pair of earplugs in the case."

"Alright." Vinyl replied, rooting through the case. Eventually, she found the orange earplugs, and she plugged her ears.

"Second issue is that the rifle has a timer bomb in it. So once you take the shot, drop the rifle and get out of the room."

"Why is there a bomb in it?!" Vinyl asked, slightly loud due to the earplugs.

"So that when they try and see if you're there, the bomb will go off. More chaos." Strike explained. "And finally, the Blueblood Maid Corps are down there in force today. About...seventy five, I think."

"Shit." Vinyl said. "You think I have a chance if it goes bad?"

"Against those throat-slashers? Not a chance. You might be good Vinnie, but those girls are the best."

"Hmph." Vinyl grunted. "We'll see."

"No, seriously. Don't fuck with the maids."

Vinyl settled down and waited for her target.

"By the Goddess, sniping is boring." Vinyl said, after waiting five minutes.

Vinyl was close to falling asleep when she heard the crowds of reporters forming at Canterlot Garden. She aimed her rifle, hoof in the trigger loop, at the podium.

"You got one shot...one opportunity...don't fucking miss." Vinyl said to herself. "Wait until he makes it to the podium..."

Eventually, Blueblood appeared from behind the background of the stage. The flag behind him was at a complete rest. Vinyl smirked as she watched the prince walk slowly towards the podium, reporters silent and waiting for his speech to the worried citizens of Equestria.

"Mares and gentlecolts..." he began. Vinyl focused her reticle on his head. "Certain...pressing events have led to this press conference today. I would like to address the attack on the Manehattan Empire Hotel where four police officers and Octavia Melody were found dead. This is a cowardly attack on our nation."

The reporters remained silent, waiting the speech to continue.

"We have intel, leaked to us by an anonymous source-"

"Heh, nice job Surge..." Vinyl laughed to herself.

"-that the attack was perpetrated by terrorist forces operating out of Saddle Arabia."

The crowd muttered among themselves.

"This attack will not go unpunished. We will find those responsible! They will be prosecuted under the full extent of the law! We will destroy them by land, sea and air!" Blueblood coughed and then continued. "The day that these terrorist cells attacked, they signed their own death warrants!"

A maid walked over while the reporters talked amongst themselves and whispered in Blueblood's ear. His expression fell considerably.

"I...have just received word that a second attack may be due today. Do not panic! It will not happen here! My Maid Corps are keeping the event safe-"

Vinyl inhaled, and pulled the trigger and heard the rifle even through her plugs. Vinyl watched the prince's head practically explode. The bullet entered his right eye, causing fatal penetration trauma. The bullet continued to travel through Blueblood's head, while the force of the impact caused structural failure in the skull and head tissue. The bullet continued into the stage background, while Blueblood's corpse stood, decapitated before the shell-shocked reporters. It stood for a few seconds, before falling to the ground.

Vinyl exhaled, and continued watching the event.

Her blood ran cold when a maid pointed directly at her and shouted for her comrades.

"Oh...shit..." Vinyl said, panicked. She dropped her rifle as it started making a humming sound.

The Blueblood Maid Corps were after her.

The Maid and the Pocket Watch of Blood

Chapter 7

The Maid and the Pocket Watch of Blood.

The scene was in an uproar. Blueblood was dead, and the Maid Corps knew where the assassin was, due to the very loud noise. Some reporters were taking cover, some were running from the garden, and some from the more seedy tabloids were recording the corpse for their newspapers.

Despite this, one maid stood over her former master's corpse. She felt her heart break with grief, before she looked up at the shooter's position. She saw the white unicorn, and she pointed at her.

"Up there! That building! Tenth floor!" the maid shouted. "Fuck her up!"

The other maids went into formation and began sprinting for the garden exit, while the maid-captain knelt by her master's side. She noticed a glint of gold in his pocket, and she took it out; a blood-stained pocket watch.

"My name is Maid-Captain Violet Trois. I served in the Princess' Own Third Spell Card Division. I am the ninety-ninth member of the Blueblood Maid Corps. Assassin, you done fucked up." Violet whispered, holding the pocket watch. The minute hand ticked past three in the afternoon. "I will find you, and I will kill you."

Violet looked back to her Cutie Insignias. She thought about removing them, before deciding against it. Looking at Blueblood, her last personal memory of him being delivering him scotch, she ran for the assassin, her purple mane flowing behind her.

Vinyl kicked open the door away from the vantage point. She ran for the staircase, only to see what she exactly didn't want to see: Three Blueblood maids in full murderboner mode.

Vinyl looked at the staircase.

"Shit...the only way out is up."

Vinyl could hear the hoofsteps of the maids as she ascended the stairs. Eventually reaching a door, she slammed it open, before looking around. The rooftop had some building supplies on it. Vinyl picked up two cinderblocks with her magic and blocked the door with them. She listened as she heard the maids start attacking the door.

Vinyl sighed in relief, before looking for a neighboring rooftop to jump onto. Backing up for a running start, Vinyl sprinted towards the lower rooftop. She jumped and with a roll, landed safely. She caught her breath before seeing exactly what she didn't want to see.

A pegasus maid.

"Oh fuck." Vinyl said, locking eyes with the Blueblood Maid.

The maid smiled maliciously, before holding a spell card in front of herself.

"Maid Skill: Thousand Needles!" she declared, as the spell card began firing knives at a straight line at Vinyl. Her eyes narrowed as she rolled out of the way of the knifefire. Vinyl focused and aimed at her target.

"Destroy Sign: Spark Light!" Vinyl shouted, as a large white energy beam fired at the pegasus. She failed to avoid it before her wing was amputated by the searing beam. The wing was completely destroyed, but the wound was cauterized by the heat, meaning that the maid was still alive as she hit the ground. The impact shattered many bones and destroyed most of the maid's organs, causing death.

Vinyl hoof-pumped in victory, before looking for the roof access. Kicking the door down, she descended down the staircase, to the shocked expressions of the building occupants. Reaching the first floor, she bolted at full speed out of the building, and as far away as the maids as she could.

Except that one spotted her, and was now giving chase.

Violet stared at the assassin, taking in all her features. Vinyl looked behind her, and saw the maid was slowly catching up.

"Vinyl!" Strike cried, from inside her head. "The bomb in the sniper point has just detonated!  Are you alright?"

"Yeah, but there's a maid after me!" Vinyl said, breathlessly, gasping as a knife flew past her head. "Fucking...she isn't giving up easily!"

"Get back here so I can kill you and your fucking family!" Violet screamed after Vinyl. "I will burn your fucking bloodline!"

"Fuck you!" Vinyl replied to the determined maid, eyeing a market stall. Vinyl picked up the stall with her magic and threw it at Violet.

Violet saw the stall coming and dropped to the floor. Vinyl laughed as she thought the maid was out of action, before feeling her stomach drop as the maid got back up and continued the chase. Vinyl looked at her legs. Wait. I'm a freaking nanotech cyborg. Why the heck am I running?!

Vinyl turned around, something Violet didn't predict. Violet also didn't predict the hoof to the throat Vinyl inflicted.

"Yeah, bitch!" Vinyl said, standing over Violet. "Vinyl Scratch! Remember the name!"

"Vinnie, why the fuck did you just say that!?" Strike said, angry.

Vinyl realised the depth of her mistake. Violet got up from the ground, spluttering.

"Thanks for the name." Violet said, coughing lightly. "Now you're fucked."

"I am a Goddess-damned cyborg badass motherfucker. What are your knives gonna do!?"

"Everything." Violet said. "I am a maid. I find a way. That is my job."

"Is that so?" Vinyl said.

"Ceux qui cherchent notre perte sera seulement trouver la mort." Violet said. "Fitting, don't you think?"

"What the shit was that?"

"The motto of the Blueblood Maid Corps, in the language of our betters."

"My betters?"

"The Royal Family, you uncultured twat."

"Eh." Vinyl grunted.

"I give you one chance, Scratch. If you surrender, then I personally assure you will live long enough to be executed."

"That's a poor trade." Vinyl replied.

"You may run, and spend the rest of your life fearing the Maid Corps, or you may surrender, and get a fair trial."

"I say..." Vinyl said. She lit up her horn. "Party Time: Ballroom Blitz!"

"Maid Skill: Death Spin!" Violet said, activating her spell card. Violet's bullets shot Vinyl's from the sky. Some maids arrived, but Violet ordered them to stay out of the fight.

The two continued trading spell card attacks; Vinyl attacked, and Violet defended. The other maids watched silently in formation as their captain continued to battle the traitor. The traitor seemed to have unnatural spell card speed, but it still couldn't beat Violet Trois' own ability.

"Hit her with the right!" a Canterlot citizen yelled at the maid. "She's a big jessie!"

"Kick that flank!" a trader shouted to the maid. "Don't let her get away!"

"Once I kill her, you're all next!" Vinyl shouted back. "Melody Sign: Isomeric Relation!"

"Guard Skill: Aegis of the Goddess!"

The magic continued to illuminate the street in various colors of light. Eventually, both fighters stood staring at each other.

"This is getting nowhere!" Violet said.

"You're damn right it is." Vinyl replied. She turned around and began sprinting away.

"After her!" the maids shouted, before seeing Vinyl jump from a bridge into a river.

The maids stared at the water, waiting for the traitor to surface for air. They prepared their spell cards for when Vinyl surfaced. They saw the white unicorn's head.

"Illusion Sign: Phantom Shock!" Vinyl declared, before a bright light obscured the maids' vision.

"Hold your fire!" Violet ordered. "Hold your fucking fire!"

The maids did what was ordered. When their vision returned, the traitor was gone.

"Dammit!" Violet shouted, kicking a trashcan over. "Fucking dammit!"

"Captain?" a maid asked, concerned.

"What?! We've lost!" Violet screamed. "Our master is dead, and we just lost the assassin!"

"Captain...there's always the Lunar Maid Corps."

"But I want to kill her! You hear that?! Nopony else gets the kill but me!" Violet said. "That's an order!"

The other maids saluted, before leaving to return to their previous posts. Violet knelt in the street, as a few civilians went to check on her.

Surgical Strike watched the footage of the shot through Vinyl's eyecamera. She replayed the head explosion over and over again.

Eventually growing bored of watching the gruesome death over and over again, she picked up a clipboard on her desk, and marked off a second name.

"Blueblood, you were a beautiful stallion. Now a beautiful stain." Strike laughed to herself. She looked over the list again. Melody...Blueblood...

...Fancy Pants.

His death will surely destabilize the economy. The bit will fall...and the Strikebuck will rise.

Surgical Strike could already feel the crown of Equestria on her head. It was heavy. Not with responsibility, but with power.

"I almost feel sorry for you, Scratch." Strike said. "I really do..."

Native Faith

Chapter 8

Native Faith

Vinyl laid on her bed, empty magic shots laying on the table next to her. It had been a few days since Strike had given her a pony to kill, and Vinyl only assumed it was to make sure that maid didn't find her again. The radio crackled softly in the background, playing the news of Blueblood's assassination.

"...Maid Corps personnel attempted to neutralize the suspect, however, upon inspection of the vantage point, a hidden bomb exploded, killing seven maids. A pegasi maid engaged Scratch, only to be shot down with a spell card and killed in action."

"Amateurs." Vinyl smirked, forgetting why she was even afraid of the Maid Corps.

"Maid-Captain Violet Trois then engaged the suspect at Hoofley Bridge, but was fought to a standstill." the newscaster said. "The Royal Guard has issued a statement demanding that civilians do not engage Vinyl Scratch, and instead call the nearest law enforcement personnel."

Vinyl sat up on her bed. The heat wasn't going to die down for decades.

The newscaster muttered for a while, before stuttering. "Breaking news...Canterlot noble and businesspony Fancy Pants has been confirmed dead in his home. Canterlot Fire Department officals have confirmed the discovery of five dead, believed to be Fancy's wife, supermodel Fleur de Lis and their three foals. Reports are sketchy at the moment, but it is being treated as suspicious by the Canterlot Police. More on this as it develops."

Vinyl clicked the radio off as Strike opened the door. "Did you just hear the news?"

"Yeah, that guy Fancy Pants is dead..."

"Accident." Strike said. Her smile turned evil. "I accidentally used a spell card at him. While you were sleeping, I slipped out. Train connections are a wonderful thing."

"You killed him?!" Vinyl said, surprised. "I thought you were the type to get other ponies to do your dirty work?"

"Eh, sometimes you just need to do it by hoof." Strike said. "Anyway, there's an issue."

"What?"

"Your next target. She knows about you."

"Who is she?"

"Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Vinyl stared at Strike. "Why are you trying to kill the Royal Family?"

"We're not going to fuck about here. We're levelling her and we're gonna make it bloody."

"Why?"

"She's close to Celestia." Strike said. "I have to tell you the truth...I have a grand plan in action...and I want you to be my partner in it."

"What is your plan?"

"Well...we're going to take Equestria."

"What?!" Vinyl shouted. "How?"

"Right now, the military are making plans to act on Blueblood's intel. They believe that Saddle Arabia is harboring terrorists. I also sent them a document that incriminated you as a terrorist leader."

"What!?" Vinyl screamed. "Why the fuck would you do that?!"

"To give the Royal Guard the perfect excuse to invade Saddle Arabia!" Strike said, giddy like a puppy being fed cocaine. "While the military is occupied, you and I are going to decapitate the Equestrian government!"

"...Where do I fall in with this?"

"Vinnie...Vinyl..." Strike said, putting her foreleg around Vinyl. "I want you to be my co-ruler. For a new, better Equestria - We won't be held back by morals...we will only be held back by the laws of physics, and even then..."

"We'll do the impossible?"

"We'll see the invisible...so will you fight the power?"

"...Fuck yeah I will!" Vinyl said, smiling, and putting her foreleg around Strike. Vinyl looked into the doctor's eyes. Fuck, why don't I hate her any more?!

"I knew you'd come to your senses, Vinyl." Strike said. "Take the rocket launcher. End Twilight's short career."

Vinyl looked down. "If it is for infinite power, let it be so."

Violet Trois looked through the piles of newspapers on her desk. All of them proclaimed the name of the traitor Vinyl Scratch. Her blood boiled at that name. The name of the mare that made her a ronin meido. She could not serve another master, as such practise was forbidden.

"I will find you, Vinyl Scratch." Violet whispered. "And you will die. Honor must be avenged."

Violet looked over to a poster depicting Vinyl. It proclaimed a regular spot for the mare at a nightclub in Ponyville.

It was a long shot, but it was the only clue.

Violet stood up, and walked to her maid uniform and knife rack.

"The next station is Ponyville Parkway. Please ensure you take all personal belongings when you leave the train. Any unattended items will be taken by the police and maybe destroyed." the intercom droned. Vinyl looked at her cargo.

Vinyl looked out the window towards the large town of Ponyville, coffee cup in hoof. Since Sparkle's ascension, the town had enjoyed so much tourist money that the mayor had won a fifth term in office. Vinyl thought about her days living here, before the monster attacks became so frequent that she fled the insurance hell Ponyville had become. Strangely, it all happened after Twilight moved there during the Nightmare Moon Incident. Vinyl connected the dots in her head...

Twilight caused the Nightmare Moon Incident so she could take the credit for taking her down! And then the Second Discordian War...happened here and Twilight took him down! And then that Trixie mare returned and instituted her fascist rule while Celestia was conveniently away...The Ursa attacks, the Kaiju incident, the Ponyville Hydroelectric Dam disaster...All engineered to make Twilight the hero of Equestria...

"Oh, you are so dead..." Vinyl said, tapping her suitcase. "I liked this town, Sparkle."

Vinyl read over the file on the young princess again. Twenty three years old, born to a wealthy military family, mother a former Solar Maid, and father a commandant for the Third Spell Card Division, brother is a former Guard Captain who became the commander-in-chief of the Crystal Defense Force. Element of Magic and inventor of the modern spell card system along with Hakurei Industries.

Vinyl took a final sip of her coffee, and continued reading.

Has friends in high places. Close contacts include:

A forest ranger captain called Fluttershy.

An Air Force lieutenant, Rainbow Dash, currently training for Wonderbolt combat squadrons.

A dressmaker and former barehoof boxer named Rarity.

Applejack, heiress to the Sweet Apple Company.

Pinkie Pie, a ronin meido who served Jet Set before his death in a duel.

Spike, a dragon.

All will fight to the death to protect her.

Vinyl whistled in surprise. She never knew that her old friend Pinkie Pie was a ronin meido. The others were unimportant. But killing the Element of Magic?

Vinyl knew it had to be done so that she could rule Equestria.

"The next station is Ponyville Parkway. Please ensure you take all personal belongings when you leave the train. Any unattended items will be taken by the police and maybe destroyed." the intercom droned. Violet Trois checked her spell deck, her knife and her insignia. She knew her first pony to talk to would be Pinkie Pie, a fellow ronin meido and contact of Scratch. Violet looked out the window. Ponyville was the seat of Twilight Sparkle, and her Sparkle Maid Corps. Violet thought about the princess. As a maid, she was sworn to protect all members of the Royal Family, even those adopted in. Princess Twilight was the Element of Magic - the backbone of Equestrian national defense, behind the Solaris missiles.

Violet looked over to a young colt staring at her. "May I help you?"

"You look so cool!" the colt said, excited. "Are you a Maid?"

"I was." Violet said, sadly. "My master was killed dishonorably."

"So are you going to avenge him?" the colt asked.

"Of course I am." Violet replied. "My master was Prince Blueblood."

"My mommy was talking about him today." the young brown colt replied back. "She was upset."

Violet went into her pocket and showed the colt the blood-stained pocket watch. "I found this in my master's hoof the day he died. I was at his side. I was very upset too..." Violet said. "I shouldn't be telling you this. You are too young."

"I'm not too young, I'm eight!"

"When you are young, you believe that you know everything. Do not think that. Think that you know nothing, so that you will learn." Violet said. "If nothing else, serve to elevate those around you."

"Wow..." the colt said, taken in by the ronin meido's apparent wisdom.

The train shuddered to a halt. The colt turned around. "Bye, miss! I gotta go now!"

"Goodbye." Violet replied, watching the brown colt rejoin his mother, chatting excitedly about the maid he spoke to.

Violet allowed herself to smile, before standing up to leave the train.

Septette for the Dead Princess

Chapter 9

Septette for the Dead Princess

Vinyl ran quickly through the crowds. Ponyville was a connected town. It wouldn't be long before the police and Sparkle Maid Corps were aware of her.

Violet Trois looked into the crowd. She could've sworn she saw Vinyl's electric blue tail. Shaking her head, she looked down. "You're being paranoid, Trois. Fear is the mind killer."

Some ponies looked at Violet oddly.

"What?" she asked the crowd, flashing her insignia to the crowd in an attempt to make them realise who they were messing with. They backed away while Violet advanced through the crowd.

"So anyways, when the Lunarian ponies woke up, their princess was missing and she was never heard from again!" Pinkie Pie said, teary-eyed from laughing at her own story, her face covered in cheesecake, and making her listener Rainbow Dash laugh even harder. "Anyway, that's how I lost my medical licence."

Rainbow Dash's expression fell. She felt a strange rumbling in the large cake she and Pinkie were sharing. Suddenly, a small baby alligator burst from the cake.

"Gummy! No!" Pinkie said, extracting the alligator and wiping her hooves on the tablecloth. "It's filthy in there..."

"What?"

"Nothing!" Pinkie said. "Give me a spell card. I want to show you a neat trick..."

Rainbow Dash gave Pinkie a weak spell card. "Don't worry. I've got tons of Defense Skill cards."

Pinkie produced a strange machine out of seemingly nowhere. "Now, most spell cards wouldn't be able to withstand this voltage." Pinkie explained, while Rainbow Dash was looking at something much more interesting. "But I'm fairly sure your spell card-"

The spell card fired thousands of electric tendrils out into the air before combusting, with a very loud, high pitched humming noise, punctuated by the scream of an unfortunate pegasus.

"What was that noise?" Dash asked, still not paying attention.

"...The sound of progress, Dashie." Pinkie said, an evil grin on her face.

Vinyl watched the display from the other side of the street, a small smile on her face. She approached Pinkie.

"Pinkie!" Vinyl said, waving the party pony over.

"Vinyl?!" Pinkie said, running over to the DJ.

"I'm back in town. Only for a bit though. I gotta go to a gig in Baltimare." Vinyl said, hoping that Pinkie had gotten back on the acid and so had not heard the news of the assassination.

"So, why did you shoot Blueblood?" Pinkie said.

Vinyl's blood ran cold.

"Uhh..."

"You don't have to keep secrets from me, Vinyl." Pinkie said. "What happens in my fungeon stays in my fungeon."

"A fungeon!" Vinyl heard Strike's voice calling, and laughing from inside her head. "A fucking fungeon!"

"Pinkie. In public!" Vinyl reminded the Element.

"Oh yeah." Pinkie said. "Fuck, keep forgetting that."

"You're high right now, aren't you?"

"I think I sniffed burning magic again..."  Pinkie said, squinting. "Shit gets everywhere, you know?"

"Yeah." Vinyl said, thinking about her vampiric hooves. "So, how have you been?"

"Mostly messing around with spell cards." Pinkie said. "I mean, seriously. Fucking spell cards, how do they work?"

"Miracles, I'm assuming." Vinyl said.

"May as well ask Twilight about it."

Vinyl's ears pricked up. "Twilight? I haven't seen her for years. Where is she?"

"She's in her library still. Most likely."

"Golden Oaks, right?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. See you around, Pinkie!" Vinyl said, adjusting the case on her back and leaving the narrow street.

Violet exited the cafe, unsatisfied by her inquiries to Vinyl's location. She swore she heard a pony call out the name 'Vinyl' while she was talking, but she shook her head.

"Fear is the mind killer." Violet said to herself. She looked around, only to see Pinkie Pie walking back to her table and friend.

"Pie!" Violet called out. "Hello?"

Pinkie looked at Violet. "Hello!"

Violet sat down at the table with Dash and Pinkie. "I hear you're a contact of Vinyl Scratch."

"Yeah!" Pinkie said. "I just talked to her!"

"What!?" Violet shouted. "Where?! When? Where is she now?!"

"Did you say Vinyl Scratch?" Dash asked. "Didn't she kill Blueballs or whatever his name was?"

Violet instinctively gave Dash a violent backhoof. "His name was Prince Blueblood. Don't forget it!"

"Oh, was he your coltfriend?" Dash mocked.

Violet turned and showed Dash the Cutie Insignias on her flanks. Dash's expression turned from one of laughter to one of horror.

"Maid-Captain Violet Trois. Maid Ninety-Nine of the Blueblood Maid Corps. Pleased to meet you."

Dash extended a shaky hoof. "Officer cadet Rainbow Dash...Weather Patrol."

"I've heard of you. Commendation from Captain Spitfire of the First Wonderbolt Squadron. Saved the academy from a tornado, didn't you?"

"Yeah, that's me!"

"Ninety-three percent kill rate." Violet retorted. "Would be a hundred, but Scratch has escaped me."

"Wait, you're looking for Vinyl?" Pinkie said. "She's headed for Twilight!"

The gears clicked in Violet's brain. Princess Twilight Sparkle is a hero in the eyes of the public. Fillies are named after her. If she were to be killed, the nation would be angry at the government for not preventing her death. Violet thought. And then the anger would turn to the Maid Corps. It would be the second death they failed to prevent. What if Scratch was trying to have the Maid Corps disbanded? What does she have against Maids?

Violet felt her stomach drop. Everything made sense to her.

"Oh, shit." she said slowly. "Where is the Princess now!?"

"She's in her library." Pinkie said.

"Where is the library!?" Violet said, grabbing Pinkie by the chest. "Tell me!"

"23 Sandy Clay Street." Pinkie replied. Violet released the pony.

"...Where is Sandy Clay Street?"

"Just look for the giant-ass tree." Dash said, pointing down the street to where Vinyl was headed. "She went down there."

Violet turned around, before sprinting as fast as she could. This was one death she was going to prevent. She could feel the pocket watch in her front pocket, reminding her of what was at stake.

Princess Twilight Sparkle stared at her maids. As per the Maid Conditions, she was given a squad of twenty five maids, all selected from the Equestrian Special Forces. Twilight looked them in their glassy eyes. Not one of them moved even as Twilight began to make erratic movements to make them move. They stood there; perfect automations of a pony.

"Okay..." Twilight said to herself quietly. She turned to face her maids. "What is your aim?"

"Your protection and execution of orders." the maids replied in perfect sync.

"How will you do it?"

"By any means necessary." they replied.

"How do you attack?" Twilight boomed.

"In every way possible." the maids sounded back.

"And what if there is no possibility?" Twilight asked.

"Then we make one!" they declared.

"Wha daur meddle wi' me?!" Twilight declared, before her maids followed suit, stating the motto of her maids and of her family. Twilight had always been very proud of her family history, dating back to the Discordian War. Sparkles had always been fearsome warriors, intelligent commanders, and almost godlike tacticians, known for their thick, terrifying Highlands accents, a trait sadly lost on the newer generations.

Twilight looked at her maids, and they reminded her of her mother; herself a former Solar Maid. It was she who asked Princess Celestia to trial Twilight, on the fateful day of the First Rainboom...

Twilight looked at her maids again, still in formation, not a single sign of discomfort among them. Twilight noticed a mailpony from the corner of her eye, and she turned to face him.

"Your Highness." the mailpony said, handing Twilight a letter. The address was from the Crystal Empire palace. Twilight smiled as she opened the letter, revealing the offical Crystal letter mark.

Dearest Twilight,

I know how anxious you've been over the past five months. Your new duty, the training of your Maids, Cadance's pregnancy and of course, the recent terror attacks. I know you'll be safe, Twilight. I personally made sure that Celestia chose the best unicorns for you.

Well, I've got some excellent news. Cady and I got the test back from the hospital today. We were unsure of whether to know the sex of our foal, but Cadance eventually decided to be tested. You're going to have a niece in four months.

I've heard of Blueblood's death. It's terrible and ghastly, but I know his maids did what they could. Don't worry about yourself, Twily. Nothing will happen to you. Blueblood was a hated politician. He had a bloated Maid Corps (Seriously, one hundred!?) and he was the most terrible drunkard. Of course, I should not speak ill of the dead.

Cadance sends her love and regards, and hopes you can visit soon.

Yours Forever,

Your loving brother,

Shining Armor.

Twilight couldn't help but grin, before turning to her maids.

"Dismissed!" she said, trying to sound stern to her maids, but actually hiding how truly ecstatic she was. She figured her maids understood, but Twilight still needed to be an authority figure. She heard steps behind her, and saw Spike.

"Maids giving you hassle?" Spike said, looking up at Twilight.

"Just drilling them." Twilight said. She jumped up in the air and hugged Spike without warning.

"Woah! I know some ponies get their jollies from being in control but jeez!" Spike said, reacting to the sudden hug.

"I'm going to have a niece!" Twilight cried. "It's the best news ever!"

"Heh. Your brother's finally got to it?" Spike said.

"Yeah." Twilight said. "I am so happy right now I can just scream!"

"I can tell!" Spike said. He noticed a maid running at Twilight. She was wearing blue colors, rather than Twilight's maids' white uniforms.

Violet saw two Sparkle Maids instantly react to her, blocking her path to the Princess. She turned to one. "I need to talk to the Princess!"

"What's your name?!" one barked.

"Maid-Captain Violet Trois, Blueblood Maid Corps!" Violet replied. Upon hearing this, the two Sparkle Maids escorted her to the now-concerned Twilight.

"What's the matter, Maid-Captain?"

Violet panted, before getting enough air to reply. "Assassin...Blueblood's murderer is after you..."

"What?!" Twilight said, incredulously. She turned to her maids. "Everypony get inside! Stay away from windows!"

"I will neutralize her before she has a chance. You must flee, Your Highness." Violet said. "Keep your maids close."

Twilight and her maids retreated inside the library. Vinyl watched the commotion from the window of a nearby house as the final piece of her launcher clicked into place.

"I've always wanted to say this..." Strike said, giggling like a madmare.

"What?"

"Use of thermobaric weapons authorized. Level the building." Strike said.

"Really?" Vinyl replied. "Not anything like: 'Rocket Peace!' or something like that?"

"Nope!" Strike said, happily. "But yeah, you've got a thermobaric warhead. That should make sure she burns."

Vinyl aimed the launcher at a small window of the library.

"Rocket Peace: Fox Two!"

Exhaling, she fired the now magically-enhanced missile, and watched as the tree disappeared in a firestorm. Dropping the missile launcher to the ground, Vinyl sighed as she watched a Sparkle maid run from the conflagration, burning completely to ashes due to the extreme heat involved in a fuel-air explosion before she could even make four feet.

Vinyl knew that there was no possible way for anypony to survive that. Vinyl noticed the trail the missile had left. Running down the stairs and out of the house, leaving the launcher behind, Vinyl went to take a closer look.

She saw a dragon walk out from the flames. And then she saw a pony she never wanted to see again.

"Violet?!" Vinyl said, too loudly.

"Scratch!" Violet said, pointing at Vinyl. "There! There's the assassin!"

The dragon growled, before sprinting at Vinyl, roaring with the bellows of a thousand beasts. Before Vinyl could react, she felt an incredible pain in her flank. Looking around, she expected to see her Cutie Mark.

It was a mangled, bloody mess. The dragon's claw was still embedded inside. With a final tug, it ripped free, taking chunks of flesh with it. Vinyl sprawled to the ground, already warming up a retaliatory spell.

"You. Killed. Twilight." the dragon growled, choking back tears and shaking Vinyl's flesh free from his claw. "Die!"

Vinyl looked around, to see the maid choose a spell card.

"Dammit!" Vinyl spat. "Give me a break!"

Violet advanced on Vinyl, spell card ready. She noticed the unicorn's horn glowing.

"Melody Sign: Presto Furioso!" Vinyl cried, a large blue shield of magic surrounding her, before firing itself as lasers in all directions. Violet jumped back, before jumping to a horizontal position to avoid the laser beams. Vinyl stood up, despite the pain in her left hind leg.

The magic laser slammed into the dragon, launching him through a neighbouring house. The townsponies who gathered to see the flames ran from the attack. Vinyl turned around, only to see the dragon shrug off the attack like it was nothing special.

"Oh. A dragon." Vinyl said to herself. "They don't like dying quickly."

"Librarian!" Violet said. She rushed Vinyl and began wrestling her. "Summon every guard you can find!"

"No, Maid!" Spike shouted. "This bitch is mine!"

"You must not risk yourself like this!" Violet said, grappling with Vinyl. "You must retreat!"

"I will not!" Spike said. "I take no orders from ronin meido!"

"Spike!" Violet shouted. "Leave now-"

Violet was cut off by the violent suplex Vinyl performed. Vinyl turned to the baby dragon. "Leave, and I'll forget about my Cutie Mark."

Spike's eyes narrowed. "Meido?"

Violet regained her voice. "Yes?"

"Leave us. That is my order as Imperial Librarian."

Violet stared at Vinyl, before looking at Spike. "As you wish, Sir."

Vinyl and Spike watched the ronin meido walk away, before turning to each other.

"The dishonor you have shown Princess Twilight Sparkle is far more than the dishonor you showed Prince Blueblood." Spike growled. "There is only one way to end this."

Vinyl looked as the dragon wandered into the flames of the library, before emerging again with a ritual suicide knife. He handed it to Vinyl.

"There is only one honorable way to go." Spike stated.

"You are right..." Vinyl said, before grabbing the dragon and stabbing the blades upwards at his throat area, past the natural coverage of the scales and into the flesh of the dragon. The blade penetrated the skin, and when Vinyl withdrew the blade for a second strike, a gush of purple blood accompanied it - a sure sign that a vein has been severed. Vinyl stabbed again, this time cutting the windpipe. Death would be in a matter of minutes now, even for an incredibly strong dragon like Spike.

"You forget, Master Spike." Vinyl whispered, dropping the stricken librarian to the ground and watching his life flow from his throat. "I do not fight with honor. And I will not commit suicide because you asked kindly."

"May you...be cursed to the Hell of Blazing Fires!" Spike gasped, before he spat a splat of blood on the ground, and lay still.

Violet watched the disgraceful display. Vinyl had not an ounce of what made a pony a pony. No honor, no ability to reason, and she definitely had no conscience. Violet's rage boiled, and she gripped her knives.

"Vinyl Scratch!" Violet screamed at the unicorn. "You are a monster beyond redemption! For these treasonous acts, you will die!"

"Oh yeah?" Vinyl replied calmly.

"Only when one of us lies dead will this feud be resolved!" Violet shouted. "I will offer no mercy in your unceasing persecution! When you die, I will follow you to Hell! When you live, I will haunt you like a shadow! I do not forgive! I will not forget! Expect me, Vinyl Scratch!"

The world around the pair was silent. The townsponies watched as the wounded Scratch and Violet faced each other.

"Oh fine." Vinyl said, the wound in her leg giving her great pain. "I'm Vinyl Scratch, former DJ for the Ponyville nightclub Neon Night. I have fought the Blueblood Maid Corps and won. I have fought you previously, and I escaped. I survived the Manehatten Gold Factory explosion...Fuck, I caused the explosion!" Vinyl declared. The Ponyvillians recoiled in horror as they watched Vinyl's wound begin to reseal itself as the magic from the dead princess flowed to her hooves, causing them to glow. Her wound disappeared, albeit with her Cutie Mark permanently destroyed. "Look Ponyville! Look as I devour the essence of your princess! I am more than a mare! I am steel, flesh, carbon, and magic combined. I am the next step of evolution. Nothing can kill me, ronin meido. I have looked Death in his empty eyesockets, and I rejected his notion of Heaven and Hell. There is one world I inhabit, and it is the world I shall rule! Violet Trois, you fight against the very concept of eternity!"

Violet looked Scratch in the eye.

She was calling for a duel. A practise reserved for only nobles and their maids.

"Scratch, you call for a duel." Violet said, quietly. "I accept."

The town gasped, as they began to watch even more intently.

"My name is Maid-Captain Violet, Blueblood Maid Corps. You murdered my master, offended his honor and then had the nerve to retreat rather than stay and face your death in combat. You offended me that day. And today, you have murdered again. This time, you have murdered Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Imperial Librarian Spike, and the Sparkle Maid Corps. You once again fought without honor, or a shred of decency." the maid said, still looking the hated mare in the eye. "I served in the Third Spell Card Division of the Royal Marines. I was in Griffonia when the Felis Question went hot. I do not remember that night, only the results. I have personally killed over ninety griffon troops. I watched their eyes plead me for mercy as I shot their friends beside them. I remember it every night, and they are the sweetest dreams I have. Killing you, Scratch, will replace those dreams." Violet said, calmly, watching Vinyl's reaction. The gathered townsponies remained silent, as mothers hid their foals from the coming bloodshed. "Honor will be mine. For Prince Blueblood. For Princess Twilight Sparkle. For Imperial Librarian Spike. For my murdered maids, and for the murdered maids of Sparkle. For every victim you have claimed, you shall suffer the nuclear flame of the Hell of Blazing Fires for another thousand eons. You might be eternity, but I am a Maid. Ceux qui cherchent notre perte sera seulement trouver la mort."

Vinyl blinked, trying to think of a way to one-up Violet. She was using the Royal tongue again.

"Say 'votre mort va être hilarant, femme de chambre. Et c'est avant que je parte pour votre maison et baise ta mère.'" a voice sounded from inside Vinyl's head.

"Votre mort va être hilarant, femme de chambre. Et c'est avant que je parte pour votre maison et baise ta mère!" Vinyl said automatically. What the fuck..?

"Ma mère est une sainte, salaud!" Violet yelled in reply. "One Spell Card!"

The townsponies spectating gasped.

"Fine." Vinyl said, warming up her horn.

Violet drew her Spell Card. Vinyl mentally selected her card.

This is it, Trois. Violet thought. Make her pay.