Bounty knows no bounds

"Dark Sting!"

"Coming, Shi Fu!"

With a quick flap of my wings, I floated down beside my old teacher, Healing Dose. His beard swung lightly in the wind as his hooves gently grasped a small bottle of ointment and brought it down beside me. He scowled and dipped his front hoof into the jar, scooping a dollop of the salve and placing it over the gash on my body that I thought I hid well enough. I winced at the burning feeling.

"You should know better than to hide these wounds from me." Healing Dose grumbled as he caught my eye. "It can get infected easily, especially if the wound is from another creature. With your kind of ambition-"

"I know it's a risky job, but I like it." I replied, adverting my gaze and instead concentrated on my home. A large hollow space in a tree, right at the very edge of the White tail woods. A picture of me and my Shi Fu was placed on top of a small table, and more pictures of both his family and mine around the house on walls. A cupboard made out of an acorn held all of Shi Fu's raw herbs to create medicines and salves that do wonders. Two open cotton pods were placed side by side in a corner, and we used them as beds. Above my bed hung my sword, which was actually a piece of scrap metal that I managed to shape into a katana-like blade.

Another jolt of pain made me wince. "You are a foolish and stupid boy." Shi Fu scolded. "You should know better than to go out and fight a dragon. Then, you cannot even move the big creature to your client! What's the point? You should have gotten the client to wait nearby, but you rush in there with no plan in mind."

"Remember," He patted my wound and placed his hoof onto my shoulder. I stared into his eyes, old with age and filled with hidden pain. "You are a breezie. No matter what you do, it can't change that fact."

I shrugged the hoof off my shoulder. "Well, breezies can be strong, too! With the right enchantments and exercises, we can overcome things."

He just shook his head and fluttered over to his bed. I could have sworn he muttered 'hormonal teenage boys', but I could just be imagining it.

I flew over to by bed and unhooked the sword from my wall, placing it beside me. I slipped on my white coat and strapped the sword to my side, securing everything with a hard tug. I tied a black bandanna over my bright green mane and hovered next to the door.

"There's another client," I said as I looked back. "This one's from ponyville."

"That is a long journey." Shi Fu yelled from the back kitchen, where he has floated to while I went to grab my sword. "Go on, and be back in latest 2 months!"

"Bye!" I hollered in reply.

Catching a Northen Breeze, I followed the wind and headed in the direction of Ponyville. Soon, I came across a train, and opportunity presented itself to me. I grinned and dashed as fast as I could towards the speeding vehicle, and managed to tumble in through one of the open windows.

"Ow!" I lightly shrieked as my head bounced against the hard wall. I could already feel a bruise forming beneath my bandanna. I groaned and rubbed my head, but was thankful that I rolled under a cushion, hiding me from anypony's view. I bit down on my tongue to prevent myself from crying out, but stayed silent and made myself comfortable for the long journey.

"THIS STOP PONYVILLE! ALL WHO WISH TO GO TO PONYVILLE PLEASE GET OFF AT THIS STOP!" A loud voice hollered.

I quickly flew up high into the air, landing on one pony's saddlebag as she headed for the door. I cling to the brown cotton as she walked out of the train door. Almost immediately I was met with a blast of fresh air. I sighed deeply and leaped into the air, hiding on the roof while the other ponies bustled and moved beneath me. I looked at the small, neat scribble on my hoof.

"Hm, so my client is apparently an important pony..." I muse. "I'll see you soon... Sweetie Drops."

"Cream coloured coat, pink and blue mane. Cream coloured coat, pink and blue mane." I chanted to myself as I flew high enough to avoid the crowd, not wanting to attract unwanted attention. "Where is that- ah!"

I swooped down below just in time to see the door closed by said mare. I frowned, but flew around to the window. I tapped on it and she turned. I tapped again and her teal eyes landed on my tiny, hovering form. She opened the window.

"Ms. Sweetie Drops-"

"Not here." She whispered, though a smile was still on her face. I took the chance to fly in and she shut the window. I landed on a nearby table and she sat herself next to it. "Dark Sting?"

"Yes, Ma'am, at your service." I said. She looked around, and deeming it safe to talk, she looked at me with a light glare.

"Listen, Dark Sting. I'm Bon Bon in public. Sweetie Drop doesn't exist." She whispered. I nodded.

"Okay then, Bon Bon. What would you need me to do?" I asked.

She placed a photo on her desk. It was a blue mare, a unicorn, with a purple cape and a hat. No doubt a performer with a large ego, by how she was spreading her hooves in the air. "Now that I'm back in the game, I need you to neutralise this pony and bring her to Celestia. She should be in Canterlot."

My eyes bulged. "CELESTIA? A-As in, the Princess herself?"

Sweetie- No, Bon Bon nodded once. "Yes. She should be under the disguise of Sunny Skies, though she should also be accompanied by this pony." She slid another photo next to the Target. My eyebrows arched.

"Uh, Pony Joe?" I asked, but decided not to question it. Bon Bon looked at me with calculative eyes.

"Well? Can you get the job done? The money will be sent to your account under Healing Dose." She asked, and placed a bag of bits next to me that easily towered over me. I smirked and stuck a hoof out, shaking hers.

"You've got yourself a deal."

My journey to Canterlot was the most unpleasant one. I had to sneak into the train while it was waiting for passengers, and then I hid under the cushion of the conductor, considering this is an overnight journey. I decided to just steal a few crumbs of food while the conductor was sleeping or something.

I managed to get a bite of some hay fries, and slept in an uncomfortable position that craned my neck the wrong way. I woke up to a painful ache on the left side of my neck. Most unpleasant.

"THIS STOP CANTERLOT! ALL WHO WISH TO GO TO CANTERLOT, PLEASE GET OFF AT THIS STOP!" The conductor yelled, startling me out of my half-dazed state. Once again, I clung onto an unsuspecting mare's saddlebag and smuggled myself out. I was especially careful to not get in any pony's way.

"Look on, and be amazed... At the GREAT and POWERFUL, TRIXIE!"

Well, that certainly grabbed my attention.

I flew over to the noise, knowing that the call will attract ponies. If this show mare is good enough, she might just attract the Target.

I hovered past the unicorns and earth ponies, careful to avoid any pegasi lurking around. I scanned the crowds below for any blue mares with a light mane, but none seemed to fit the description. A shower of fireworks made my eyes dart to the front, focusing on the show mare.

Oh.

OH!

The show mare is the Target.

With all of that attention on her, it's obvious that it wouldn't be easy to pull off. I'll have to wait until the show's over and when she goes backstage, or when she's alone. That means stayin there and watching her horrible show for at least a few more hours, while simultaneously dodging the view of ponies and the hooves of pegasi.

Well, great.