The Bounty of Evil

“SPIKE!!!’ The girls cried out in unison as they all tackled Spike to the ground in a huge group hug.

“Spike are you okay?” Twilight asked with tears of joy going down her face.

“Um…. yeah Twilight I’m okay. Nothing too harsh done and the worst I got was a badly written comic. Why would there be two Zapps? Seems kinda weird.” Spike said as he tried to move but found that he couldn’t.

“So you're not hurt?” Rarity asked as they all got off him.

“Nah, just my back hurts from being hung upside down. But at least I got gems.” Spike said as he reached down to the bag beside him and grabbed a handful of gems, while doing this he noticed the odd look coming from his friends “What?”

“Uh Spike, where did you get those gems?” Twilight asked in a worried tone.

“Sionis gave them to me. She’s actually not as evil like I thought she was-”Spike said but was stopped as Dash got right up close to his face.

“She what?!?!?!”

“Yeah she gave some gems to eat.” Spike said as Dash snagged the gems from his hands “Hey I’m eating those!”

“They might be poisoned or something.” Dash said as she checked thoroughly of the gems.

“And why would she do that?”

“Why...Because she is EVIL Spike! She is Black Mask, the head of a deadly mob who put a hit on us and captured you!” Rainbow roared at the baby dragon. Twilight then tried to defuse the situation.

“Dash try to calm-”

“AND YOU! I don’t even want to START with you Twilight Sparkle! You lied to your friends about who you are and if you knew her! YOU BETRAYED ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!” Rainbow yelled at her with tears in her eyes. “I…. can’t deal with this right now.”

“Dash I’m sorry but you have to believe me, I don't remember about this.”

“YES YOU DO!!!! So dont you even say that you don’t because you do. H-How could you have lied to us...How….”

“Dash..”

“I just…. I need some air.” Rainbow said as she flared her wings and flew away from them. She flew hard and made it into the elevator and pressed the up button and waited a few moments before she finally made it to the surface. Flaring her wings again she flew upwards and busted through the skylight windows. However in her moment of sorrow and anger she failed to notice a shadow show it’s own wings and follow her.

“One way or another… I will get my answers from you Rainbow.” The shadow thought to itself as it kept a good distance.

Tears leaked from Rainbow’s eyes as she flew in the cold night air and far away from the warehouse she exited from. Twilight’s secrets, what she LIED about and who she was with, were just… too much for her at the moment and she just wanted some space from it all. She gazed her surrounding as she knew she couldn't go on ground or some thugs will target her, She saw a clearing on a rooftop and decided to land there.

Once her hooves touched the rooftop she walked her way towards the edge as she leaned over at the city “Why couldn't she have told us..I thought we were friends.”

“Lovely view, isn't it?” A voice come from behind her as she quickly jumped into her battle stance but only saw a figure of a shadow from the other side of the rooftop. “Oh don’t mind me Dashie do go on admiring the view.”

“What do you want?” Rainbow venomously causing the figure to chuckle slightly.

“Well… at first I wanted your head lobbed off by my sword. Now… I want some answers from you… then I’m going to lob off your head.” The figure said as it stepped from the shadows to reveal a pony in black armor with a orange and black mask and a hoofsword in her right hoof. Deathstroke had found her and was looking for a rematch.

“What is this Dust...Round two?”

“In a matter of speaking yes. We didn't get to finish due to you flipping out when I called Spitfire a bitch which is still true might I add.” Deathstroke chuckled as she twirled her swords around playfully “So Dash where are the rest of your friends, they ditch you as well?”

“I left them. I wanted some space to work out some issues I had… still have actually.” Rainbow said in a dead serious tone.

“Really, that's a shame. So what happened?”

“None of your damn business Dust.” Dash said in a threatening tone.

“Woah Dash I’m only asking, it must have been something to make you cry. I mean look at you, crying your tears out like a little filly. So who’s is the one causing this little… issue? Was it Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy or how about that Twilight-”

“DON’T YOU TALK ABOUT TWILIGHT TO ME!” Rainbow roared as she charged Deathstroke and pinned her down.

“Hehehe...Well I now know what is the issue is.” Deathstroke chuckled as she kicked Dash in the stomach which caused her to get back up. “I thought you two were the best of friends.” Deathstroke taunted as she tried to slash Rainbow but the cyan pegasus dodged each strike.

“Yeah. Well. Not. Any. More!” Rainbow roared the last one as she caught Deathstroke’s arm and dislodged the hoof sword from her and placed it in her right hoof.

“Humph...That's a damn shame to hear.” Deathstroke said as she pulled out another hoof sword and placed it in her own right hoof. “Well I hope it makes you feel any better knowing that after I’m done with you, she’s next on my list.” Deathstroke said as she and Dash clashed swords together. The two slashed and tried to stab one another but the speed from one was matched by the other’s own speed and skill. “Let me ask you Dash, what did she do to get you really mad?”

“She… it’s not your business! Now how about you take that damn mask off your face!”

“And what, get your blood all over my face and mane? No thanks.” Deathstroke retorted as she clashed blades with Rainbow again. Dash was about to get the upper hand, but she didn't notice Deathstroke's tail reaching in from behind and tugged her right leg which caused her to fall onto her back. Before she could get up, she was stopped by a tip of a sword resting on her chest.

“I wouldn't move if I were you.”

“You cheated.”

“Not really. I just know more about my own gadgets then you do. Now then… before I kill you… Where did you get that necklace?” Deathstroke asked as she pointed at the necklace around Dash’s neck with the tip of her sword.

“What does it matter to you?”

“That necklace… belongs to my sister. It’s a sign that no matter what we’re always close.”

“Sister…..Hehehe, I don't know what you are talking about because I got th-” Dash was interrupted as Deathstroke poked her in the stomach.

“Don’t play with me Dash or I will cut your head off. Now I will ask you again….Where did you get that necklace.” Deathstroke threatened as she drew the sword closer to Dash’s neck.

“MY little sister. A-a filly named-”

“S-Scootaloo…. no… no she… she wouldn’t just…. she wouldn’t leave me like this-” Deathstroke said as her eyes, though Rainbow couldn’t see them, started tearing up.

“What are you-” Dash tried to ask but was stopped as the sword cot a few inches closer to her.

“No matter, after I kill you I will go and figure this out myself.” Deathstroke said as she raised her blade down and Dash closed her eyes for her end….

BANG BANG

….Dash opened her eyes to see Deathstroke sword shatter into pieces before her. Before she could say anything she heard a groan from Deathstroke “Oh son of a bitch.” Deathstroke then gazed to her right as she lifted her broken sword.

From across the rooftop a figure was laying down with a sniper rifle as her body was shrouded in darkness and the only thing that could be seen was the barrel of her Sniper rifle and the red glare from her red optic.

“Heheh…. Nice try Deathstroke but she and Twilight are Deadshot’s kills. Like Deadshot told you before...Its time for the great and deadly Deadshot to take a shot…..Deadshot needs to word that out better.” The figure said as she put a new round in her rifle.

“Humph… seems like your lucky day Dash.” Deathstroke said as she backed away from Dash. “We’ll continue this later.”

“No you… are not walking away from this. We are finishing this now Lightning Dust.” Rainbow said determinedly as she took a stance. Deathstroke was actually… surprised by how incredibly stubborn and battle hungry Rainbow Dash was.

“Look I don’t have time for this alright? Another assassin just tried to kill both of us… I would stay down if I were you.” Deathstroke said as she dodged another bullet fired easily. She listened hard and heard the sound of a mare frustrated and trying to load another round. “Heheh. Anyways Dash I don't care what happened between you and Twilight but being alone is going to get you killed. I would recommend getting back to your friends, if they are still your friends.”

“Yeah and why’s that? Figured you’d want to try and finish me now.” Rainbow retorted.

“Reason one right now is because I’m bored. Reason two… I need to go check something which is why I am deciding to let you live.”

“Fine. Next time though I won’t go so easy on you.”

“This was you going easy? Man that’s embarrassing and besides thats my line.” Deathstroke joked “Listen if you want to go again at this there is a meeting taking place in about an hour from now at the royal hotel.”

“What meeting?”

“Sioins has called a meeting, all the assassins will be there including me of course.”

“Why tell me that? Scared that I’ll kick your flank and no one will be able to record it?” Rainbow asked with a ghost of a smile.

“Cute. No but it’s like I said, I have to check on something. See,ya around.” Deathstroke said as she leapt off the building and into the night air.

“Ahhhh...Stupid gun! I can't believe the great and deadly Deadshot missed!”

“Neither can I.” A voice said behind her. Irritated Deadshot turned around and aimed two guns but lowered them when she saw who it was.

“You know… doing something like that might get you killed.” She said to the figure.

“As if you’d have the guts to kill me.” The figure said as it’s form was exposed by the moon’s light as the figures orange fur was shown but barely as she was wearing a leather jacket with black hoofless gloves while wearing grey pants. Her face was covered by a black mouth less ski mask with a strange design that almost seemed like a bat painted into it. “Now then I do suggest you get a move on. The meeting is about to start and we both know how the SWAT would react to seeing us exposed.”

“You mean besides actually ARRESTING us to keep Deadshot and you away from our prize?”

“Exactly… and word of warning.” The figure said as she pinned Deadshot to the ground with one hoof easily. “You will NOT kill Twilight Sparkle. Not until I’ve had my fun with her. Is that clear?”

“As… crystal.”

“Good.” The figure said as she released Deadshot from the ground.

“What's your beef with Twilight..If Deadshot can ask? I mean why not let me kill her now and she won't be a problem anymore. Besides she has to pay for what she did to Trix- ...I mean Deadshot.” Deadshot said angrily.

“Oh this isn’t about Twilight. Like the one who hired us… this is more… to send a message to Celestia.”

“And what message might that be?” Deadshot asked being actually confused and somewhat concerned. The figure turns around and looks out at the city.

“That despite everything even a Goddess can be harmed. In this sense… I’m taking her student from her.”

“Really. In that case Deadshot asks again, why not now? If that's the message wouldn't it be the same if Deadshot blows her head off.”

“No because for one reason. Anypony can just KILL her… but my plan isn’t JUST to kill her. I want to break her. I want her brought down to my level when Celestia abandoned me… and then I want her to admit that I am the better student. Me… Sunset Shimmer, the failure, the outcast, Celestia’s own BANE.”

Deathstroke dashed through the shy as fast as she could as her mind with filling up with thoughts and doubts “This can't be right. Scoots and I are sisters…. family. S-she wouldn’t just… abandon me would she? I-I’ve tried l-looking out for her. Pay for her and try to get enough to bucking fix her wings…. w-was it something I did?” She asked herself before she accidentally ran into a tree and fell down. She rubbed her head but shrugged off the hit as nothing more. “Okay Dust just calm down, there must be a reason for this...Maybe she did steal it from Scootaloo and she is tricking me into thinking otherwise...Yeah that has to be it but I have to be sure.” She thought as she took off into the sky again and headed directly to Ponyville.

Dash watched as Deathstroke took off into the night sky, leaving her alone on the rooftop. As she stood there, her mind was filled with questions and doubts. On one hoof she knew what Deathstroke said was true and that she should stick with her friends… but why should she go back knowing that Twilight, the one who betrayed her, would probably get more sympathy than she would. “She knows Black mask, I know she does…. but what good would it do to worry about it now? I probably just left them to somepony that was just as bad as Deathstroke and… Faust above I’m an idiot. Wasn’t one of the assassins called Copperhead?!” Rainbow’s mind then went into overdrive. As her instinct kicked in she checked if the assassin who was trying to snipe her was still around before flying off.

As she flew as fast as she could back to the steel mill, she could notice a lot of Black Mask’s goons exiting the factory in terror “That can't be a good thing.”  Rainbow thought to herself as she flew down into the same opening landing on all four hooves in the place. She looked around as she noticed the factory was a lot emptier than before “Well at least I don't have to fight a whole bunch of goons again.” Dash thought as she flew towards the same room that Spike was being held in. Upon arriving to the interrogation room she noticed that her friends were gone and the only thing that was left was a drop of blood.

“Oh no..” Rainbow said as she fell to her knees and slowly started to cry. “I should’ve… I should’ve been back here sooner. Faust above… I’m so s-sorry.”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!”

“Fluttershy?!” Rainbow turned as she followed the screaming back to the crane room as she gazed upon a sight that almost crippled her. Her friends were all lying down breathing hard, as Fluttershy was backing away from a orange colored Changeling.

“Don't fret ponie...It won’t hurt as much.” The changeling said as it creped closer to Fluttershy. Fluttershy noticed Dash watching from behind “Dash get out of here!!!!!”

The changeling turned around as it grew a devilish grin “Ahh you're just in time. I was wondering when you were going to turn up ponie. Now the fun really-”

“GET AWAY FROM! MY! FRIENDS!” A rather angry pink pony said as she tackled the changeling.

“P-Pinkie?” Rainbow asked as said pony started to beat down on the changeling. The changeling threw Pinkie off as the both get back into their hooves.

“You're still alive?! That’s impossible, I injected enough venom into you to kill ten ponies!” The Changeling roared but stopped as she and Dash noticed the pink pony giggling which turned into maniacal laughing.

“You thought you could kill me...ME!!! You cant kill me...You cant kill Pinkamena.” The pony said still giggling. “Now then… let's have some fun shall we?”