It felt really nice to be in a bed in a quiet house. Especially when cuddling a cute girl. Well it was.

The sounds of breaking glass could be heard. Ghost immediately awoke. Unfortunately though, the invaders were quite fast and managed to fire a dart into him as he got out of bed. The dart was loaded with a sleeping toxin that made him pass out in only a few seconds. He would awake in a few hours to find the bedroom was quite the mess. Daring apparently woke up and fought pretty hard avoid capture. He knew she was capable, but these guys apparently on his level.

He investigated rigorously the entire bedroom. Taking in each misplaced or broken piece of furniture. He estimated about twenty five minutes of fighting took place in this room alone. He got dressed and moved to the next room. Which was the small hallway. One body laid there, apparently Daring did the hard part, taking a life. "Always easier when it's in defense, though this still won't be easy to live down." He commented. He looked at the body, curious how Daring managed to get the kill. The skull was caved in. Based on the fact the head in the wall and looking at the hole, this fellow hit one of the main support beams of the wall and the force was enough to do the job right there. Going downstairs he saw more marks of a hard fight. Though only in the kitchen area. It was the closest room and there was a lot of blood and missing knives from their holders. "Smart." Though it wasn't enough apparently as apparently they subdued her in there and got her out of the house. Though on the coffee table in the living room was one of the bloodied knives holding a piece of paper. He pulled out the knife and read the letter.

"Ghost is it? That's what Daring was screaming when we captured her. She told us that you were a force to be reckoned with. Well, we won, we have Daring Do and we will do whatever it takes to get our hands on the forbidden items that we can use to control the world. The world will be ours and you will know you played part in it since we know she is fond of you we can use that against her to make her give us what we want most. So thank you for making it so easy.

-The Covenant"

Ghost crumpled up the letter and tossed it to the ground. Threw up his hood and left the house. He was now on a mission, again. The plan? Take out the entire organization known as the Covenant. Every thug, leader, warehouse, all of it was going to burn. First thing he did was scour news sources for any indication of the group. He found some recent news in Manehatten of Covenant members raiding Royal Guard stations. Very violent, just how Ghost likes his criminals.

It took several days to get to Manehatten but it was only the beginning. It was still daytime. Night was when the Covenant would make their move. Also when Ghost did his best work. He was like a ghost in the night. His black attire was perfect to hide him and alleys were his playground. He went to one of his warehouses he had in town. Spending his time doing inventory. Manehatten was one of his bigger locations for weapons and tools. Canterlot and his home being the other two. Obviously his home was the biggest. Since it was his main base of operations most of the time. By the time he was done and had his choice weapons picked out, it was night. So he went to the Royal Guard station nearby, it hadn't been hit yet, making it one to stake out. He hung out near the alley, hiding on the fire escape latter of one the neighboring buildings. Sure enough, the two guards went down, shot by a silenced rifle. The goons then moved into the alley to raid the building. Unknowing that they were going to have to fight another being. Much more skilled than they.

Two goons held guard at the gate and moved the Guards out of the way to prevent any issues and to warn the main unit of any trouble. Ghost moved to position, ready some daggers and jumped between them. Stabbing them both in the chest as soon as he landed. They both fell. One died instantly, the other gasped for breath. Ghost looked at him a moment before moving towards the door of the station. There was another goon. He was on alert as he heard something at the gate and heard footsteps but couldn't see since the alley was dark. "C is that you?" He said, pointing a pistol. This figure was an earth pony for sure from what Ghost could see.

"No, I'm the Ghost you clowns managed to tick off." The voice was very close and before the figure could make any moves the pistol was grabbed, twisted to break his wrist and disarmed. Then out of nowhere a figure picked him up and then stood under the light. Ghost now making himself visible. Still holding the pistol in his other hand. Choking the goon with the under hand. He then put the pistol to the goons head and pulled the trigger. Dropping the pistol after that one shot. He then drew a pistol from his holster, which was a heavy caliber revolver. Walking around the darkened facility he could hear a battle taking place. Apparently the Covenant ran into more opposition than they planned for. They were about to be overran in a minute. It was coming from the barrack areas. The soldiers set up their defense there. Ghost peaked the corner to see several goons on each side of the doorway, taking turns to shoot. Ghost being in the dark was able to just stand in the middle of the hall and aim his revolver, firing four of the six shots the pistol was capable of firing. Hitting four of the eight goons. Who now were in full panic as they were ambushed. Ghost turned the corner again to finish firing the last two shots and landed each one. Instead of reloading he drew another pistol, a bit lighter in caliber than the revolver but stored more ammo. He rounded the corner again and fired off four shots. Hitting two more goons. The Guards took advantage of this counter attack and rushed the door. Finishing the job. Ghost found one live goon and pinned him against the wall. The guards noticed but paid little attention to this as they were rounding up the remaining goons.

"You get one chance to tell me what I want to know or I will slowly cut the skin off your skull and shove it down your throat so you will be choking on your own face. Where is your warehouse and leader?"

"You wouldn't dare! You know who you are messing with? You made a new enemy!"

"The Covenant started this war with me. You made me the enemy when you broke into her house and kidnapped my friend. Now, tell me what I want to know and you won't have to find out if you die first, or if you have the tolerance to feel me peel your skin off and shove it down your throat." With this Ghost pulled a knife and pressed the edge of it against his head, making him bleed just a little.

"All right all right! Please! The warehouse is on seventh avenue, the leader is there too. Please don't kill me."

"You live. Call your leader and tell him to expect me. The Ghost. I'm not taking no for answer." With that Ghost left.

Ghost continued to head to the warehouse. He was let in. Apparently they weren't as dumb as he thought. But of course they could be planning to ambush him inside. Smart but foolish. He never cared for the odds. He was led inside to an office where the ring leader was having something to drink. Smelled of scotch. "Welcome, Ghost. Please have a seat." He waited for Ghost to take a seat, which he did. "I hear you are looking for your girl? You must be crazy thinking that taking out some thugs would be enough to do that." He chuckled. "Want anything to drink?"

"Have any tea?" Ghost replied, plainly and monotone.

The leader snapped his fingers and one of the guards left to get the drink. That was when Ghost made his move. With only one guard, he rushed the leader, managed to get him in a choke hold with a knife pressed against his neck. The goon was pointing a pistol, though now was uncertain about doing that. "Best be careful, one slip up and you lose the one that signs your paychecks. Drop it and make sure I am left alone. I have some business I need to discuss alone with your boss."

Unwilling to risk losing his boss and money supply, the goon left the room, dropping the pistol before doing so. Ghost then smacked the leaders head against the desk. "Good thing I'm crazy, otherwise I this wouldn't have worked. Now, about the fact I'm looking for Daring Do. You will tell what I want to know or I will ruin your pretty face of yours, slowly, painfully, till either I get what I want or you die. Understood?"

Not being used to such treatment and the fact that he knew what Ghost was capable of from the few camp fire horror tales, plus he didn't want to die, he cave into the demands. "I don't know. I just got a call that said that Daring Do was captured and to expect a call to come in later. That is it! I swear! I don't know where she is or who is in control of breaking her!"

"Not good enough!" Ghost broke a shot glass and picked up one of the glass shards and made a long cut on his forehead. He screamed the whole time in pain and fear. "You know someone who knows where I can find her! Now you will spill those words or I will spill more blood."

"Please let me go!" This only got him another long cut on his left cheek. "I only know a number! That is it!"

Ghost gave him a pen and slid a slip of paper. "Write it down." The leader did. "This better be good information. You don't me paying you a second visit. Because I won't be as gentle a second time." Ghost then threw the leader against the wall and left out a nearby window. He then called the number from a payphone.

"Who's this?"

"The Ghost of a dead man. And I'm coming for you next."

"Like I would be scared of a freak in a black suit."

"You think you hold leverage over me? You think I am intimated by your words and name calling? You have the wrong idea. I'm just a vigilante you managed to tick off. I can vanish for weeks, months at a time. That should scare you. Because you never know when I'll surface again, or where. Hope you don't fear the shadows at night. Because that is where I watch."

"You are just a delusion spook. Who can be killed. And we will put you down like the dog you are."

"You can't kill what is already dead. You might kill this body, but I will return as another. Again and again. You can't kill an ideal, a belief. That is what I am. That is why I am called Ghost. I can be anyone or anything in a suit fighting the fights that no one will. You can't kill that. No matter how hard you try. Though I welcome the challenge. I'm in Manehatten, at a warehouse on Appleloosa boulevard. Better send your best. The local thugs are boring." With that Ghost hung up the phone. Then set up the warehouse. Knowing it would take them a while to set up a plan to take him out.

Four days pass and he was fully set and waiting. Well, it took him two days to set up this warehouse. Traps, choke points, secret hallways and passages, staging weapons. He was fully prepared. Then the sound of glass breaking at the back of the alley. Ghost knew they would choose that over a frontal approach. Less visibility and thus attention. They made their move at night too. The warehouse had no power, and thus no lights. The soldiers that they sent were wearing night vision goggles, great idea. Except that flash bang grenades can do some serious damage. So Ghost chucked four of them in front of the invaders. There was four of them. Before the soldiers could see what he threw they went off and blinded the soldiers. Ghost hopped down and quickly rendered incapacitated. Tying them up with zip ties. He then moved to another spot. Once again, another breach except that Ghost was ready with a silenced rifle and picked off the soldiers one by one.

This continued, using various methods to take out the so called elites. Using every method he planned as there was about twenty soldiers that tried to take him out. Only six were alive at the end. Ghost turned on a generator which powered up the lights in the warehouse. He then executed one solider in front of all the others with a stab to the lung. Making his death slow, painful and agonizing. As his lung filled with his own blood. He then looked to the five. "This is going to continue till one of you tells me what I want to know."

"We won't talk!" One shouted.

"Wrong answer." Ghost walked to him, pulled his knife and slowly started to cut his face, deep enough Ghost could feel the blade rubbing the skull. The soldier only screaming in response. Though after about an inch Ghost stopped. "Had enough? I can do this all night." The soldier only whimpered, trying not to cry. "Anyone else feel like being a hero? Telling me that you are unbreakable? You guys think I don't know how to break a morale? I executed one of your own for you to witness, then made him scream and squirm for about a full minute. You don't want to be in their shoes do you?"

The others looked at each other for a bit. Realizing that no matter what happened, he won. Obviously those who sent them after a few days would figure they died and would either send more to take care of Ghost or Ghost would call that number again and again till something different happened. Better they walked away than to die one of the worst ways possible. "We have a number in our phones to our boss. He was the one that organized the whole event to kidnap Daring Do. We didn't do that mission, we were tasked elsewhere." This goon knew just how to save his life. Separate himself from the act, but rat out the one that did.

Ghost took the phone, "Which name?"

"A." Ghost called the number.

"Your boys failed. Miserably. I thought I asked for your best?"

"You think you are so clever? How about you try and fight on our turf? See how tough you are then."

"Brilliant idea. Tell me where."

"Canterlot. Go there and you will get a message." With that Ghost hangs up the phone. "You guys are in luck." He cuts one of them loose. "Your boss is setting up an ambush for me in Canterlot. Can't wait to rain on his parade. Now you scram and avoid Canterlot unless you like being tied up by me." With that Ghost heads to Canterlot.

He gets there and spent a week wandering the streets. Acting normal while in his clothes. News spread fast about his dealings in Manehatten, so the nobility, bureaucrats and royalty were nervous seeing this figure walking the streets. Knowing full well blood was going to spill at some point. Royal Guard tried to keep tabs on him. But he always got away from them by doing stupid things and loosing them in alley ways if all else failed. Finally on day eight a kid about ten years old walks up to Ghost and taps on his back. Ghost turns to see him holding an envelope, "Who sent you?"

"Some guy in a suit offered me twenty bits to give you this. He looked average." The kid shrugged and ran off to play with his friends some more. Ghost opened the letter to read the address. The castle of the two sisters. Of course.

After three days of travelling he made it to the castle. It was as he expected. Run down still, only guards everywhere. Ghost knew this was going to be a bit of a challenge, but if anything, Daring was here. No doubt about it. A place where no one goes, scary to anyone except those who use it. Probably got a torture area in it somewhere.

Ghost spent a full three days scouting the place. Noting shift changes, breaks, everything. He found the west side was teh side to approach, at a little past midnight. Shift change and that takes the longest to change out. Plenty of time to cross and climb the wall. Once he was at the top the new guard was in place just a few feet to the right. Ghost slid himself slowly and was able to quickly reach up and pull the guard off the ledge where he fell down into the ravine. Ghost then moved into the castle. Taking out any guards that were in the way.

Inside the castle was like a maze. Though Ghost was good at navigating, so he wouldn't get lost so easily or get trapped in a loop. Guards inside were fewer. Luckily for Ghost. Though he eventually made his way down to the lower levels where he found the dungeon. Only no dice. Only a video loop. Daring Do, naked, tied by chains against a wall. Crying softly to not be heard by anyone but herself. She was bruised all over. Ghost tensed up a bit. No mercy at all. No one was getting it anymore. He was too nice to begin with. Though something was familiar with the walls. He observed them and tried to remember where he saw them. Then it dawned on him, it was her own home! Her basement. "Better hurry Ghost, don't think she will hold out much longer. She's about to break any moment." A voice said from behind the camera.

Ghost wasted no time in racing back to her home. He took more risks than usual. Though after a full day of travelling non stop he made it back to her house. Which was under full guard. Ghost fully fed up with playing games didn't bother making a plan. Except one, attack. He walked into plain sight, drew two pistols and fired. Taking out the guards quickly, though not without taking three shots himself. Though he kept marching. His rage, anger and adrenaline keeping him from feeling the pain. He fought hard into the basement of the house and there he found Daring Do being electrocuted while her head was under water. The leader of the group was there. Doing all the dirty work.

He looked up just to get a knee to the face and then picked up by his hair by Ghost. Who put him in the restraints that Daring was in during the video. Then he pulled his dagger out and stabbed the leader numerous times in the legs, gut and arms. "You will suffer before I put you down like the dog you are." Was the only thing Ghost said. For the next six hours he tortured the leader before putting a bullet in the head. He then took Daring up stairs to tend to her. Despite the fact he was still bleeding from the numerous gunshot wounds.

Daring Do was sleeping beautifully until she heard a thud. She saw Ghost on the ground, with a dart sticking out of his neck. She got up and just got her underwear on when the goons came in. All black in their attire. Couldn't make out anything. She tried to fight them off. But they just were too good. She ended up killing one of them, stabbed a few others. But there was just too many of them! "Please, Ghost! Wake up!" She cried over and over again. But it was no use. He didn't get up and she was subdued. She was given the same injection they gave Ghost, only she got a syringe of it. She woke up in some warehouse looking place.

She spent several days here, being shocked, cut, and sexually assaulted. They wanted what she knew. She wasn't about to give up that information, she hoped anyway. She was in constant pain, fear, sadness. She only had one positive on her side. Ghost was looking for her. She just hoped she could hold out till he found her. "Please, Ghost. Find me." She said to herself, day in and day out.

She was moved several times in the following few weeks. She overheard from several guards who thought she was asleep that the reason they had been moving was because Ghost was hot on their tracks. She felt more strength come to her. Mentally anyway. She was relieved to know that Ghost was working to find her and was successful. Though this was short lived.

Daring Do was moved back to her own home. Spent three weeks here. Things got turned up here. The torture was more intense than it ever was and it was taking a toll on her. Drugs were also being introduced to her. After that first shot, it was all fuzzy. All she knew was pain, lack of sleep and being told things and she thought was truth. That Ghost was never going to find her. His love for her was fake. Her dreams were conflicting. Her real self fighting against the drugs and the lies being fed to her. She lost the ability to fight weeks ago.

She basically cried most of the time she was interrogated, unable to think clearly anymore. Questioning everything, about to give into the lies and the drugs. Just to make it all stop. She wanted this to stop. She couldn't remember anything but this life. Though despite all this. Something in her kept fighting and preventing her from talking. Then during one of the sessions she felt her torturer be moved away from her. She pulled her head out of the water and pulled the jumper cables off of her to see this black figure now torturing her capture. Who was he? Was she supposed to know him? She felt a joy hit her as if she did. But he didn't look familiar to her.

She wasn't able to stand, she just sat and watched for six hours as this figure did unspeakable acts against the one that forced her into this situation. Then shot him. Right in the head. Then this figure carried her up to her bedroom and tender to her wounds. "Who are you?" She said, as if she was drunk way out of her mind.

"You don't remember me?" Ghost paused. This was worse than he thought. He didn't realize they drugged her into a loopy state to where she probably doesn't even know her own name.

"You sound familiar but no, I don't know you." Daring replied, looking curiously at him, "You aren't pony."

"Just rest for me, alright? You are probably tired." Daring couldn't argue much. She willing laid back and fell asleep. Ghost continued to address all injuries he could. Then started to detox her. He started to push saline into her and using herbs, he made a medicine to help combat against the drugs. Thanks to studying Zebra culture. Though her body was addicted and suffered withdrawal. Luckily she stayed asleep through it all. But she was hot, sweating and trembling for hours. He kept giving her the herbs and saline. She eventually stabilized after twelve hours.

Now that she was fine, he tended to himself. Which meant he was opening wounds that closed up already. Mostly blood clots though. Pulling six bullets out his body and sealing a total of eight wounds after sterilizing them. He gave himself the herbal remedy to help with any infections that might have tried to start.

The morning following, Daring awoke, seeing Ghost in a chair sleeping. "It wasn't a dream? Ghost!" With that Ghost woke up and looked at her after a moment of looking around the room. "It is you!" Daring flew out of bed and clung to him.

Author's Note

This one is probably a lot more hardcore than what would be expected. Also I planned to make it a bit longer with Ghost searching and with Daring being captured. But I got burned out but didn't want to stop. So of all the chapters of this story, I will probably come back to add in more detail later. I'll most likely do a blog and tag this story and chapter to tell you fans of this series about this chapter getting the overhaul. Don't worry about the brutal part getting more so. It won't. Just more towns and more detail on Daring's torture parts. Also the rest of the story likely won't detail torture like this again either.