Fallout Equestria: Shaping Shadow - Book 5

Shadow’s next three targets were a mix. Two were retired military, an admiral and a general, and the third was a high end aristocrat. He had a list of each one’s crimes. Still, they were low enough that the Wonderbolts were not trying to kill them, only track them.

The stars were coming out as Shadow walked the streets, cloaked. New Cloudsdale was more than where the first big battle would happen. Shadow had a special target lined up. Tonight was that night if everything worked out correctly.

Shadow got to the first housing complex. The tenth floor was the target’s home. It was way too easy to get in and to a rear access stairwell.

Shadow unlocked the door and slipped in. Only a single lamp was on. Shadow pulled his cloak off and poked around. The apartment was home to General Scribbles, but he wasn’t home. Shadow heard a key enter the lock on the door. He walked back into the living room.

“Ah! You are here,” General Scribble said. “Although, how did you get in here? Oh well. It doesn’t matter. A bit early is better than a bit late.”

Shadow wasn’t sure what was happening, but he was now Black Widow. He had to respond how she would. The door opened and a young mare entered.

She immediately apologized. “I am sorry I am late.”

General Scribble was confused as he stood in between them. He looked Black Widow over and then looked the mare over. She was in a big cloak and a wide brimmed hat with a decorative scarf.

“I didn’t realize this was a double session,” The mare said, popping her hat and tossed her coat onto the chair. She was only wearing lingerie and a collar around her neck, with a small envelope charm dangling off it. “I haven’t ever done that before. But as long as you are paying the extra...I guess...”

“I only ordered one,” General Scribble slowly said, focusing on Black Widow.

Shadow’s heart began to burn. He was looking at a mare, who was being paid to “service” an elite in the Grand Pegasus Enclave. There was nothing grand about that. And all he could think of was the “what if” of one of his sisters being that mare. He knew that the mare was at the very least somebody's daughter. And that wouldn’t stand. He wouldn’t let it stand. The Lux was burned for that crime. He would stop it as well.

But he was Black Widow, not Shadow. Black Widow was aloof, cold, true to justice but ready to burn to cleanse the area. Black Widow forged the chains that bound Equestria together through blood.

Black Widow snorted. “Ordered?”

“And just who are you?” General Scribble demanded, pointing his hoof at her. “Are you a robber? Do you think you can get away with that now that the clouds are gone.”

Black Widow shook her head. “I have business with you, General Scribble. I had no idea you are stooping so low as to hire mares for pleasure. The way I had heard it, about the great Grand Pegasus Enclave, they are so perfect they don’t need prostitutes. They don’t need them because things are perfect and they don’t allow them, either.”

General Scribble snorted while the mare lost all the color in her orange cheeks. “How we do things isn’t of your concern. What are you, a banished pegasus who can’t show her face? Or worse, a ghoul?”

“Neither,” Black Widow replied stoically. “But I will spare you the pain of seeing my face.”

Black Widow pulled her cloak back and showed her wingless back.

“I am Black Widow!” she declared. “I was chosen by Equestria to burn the wasteland with a righteous fire. To prepare it for the Light Bringer. I slaughtered hundreds of evil ponies whose desire was to cause pain and misery. Who tortured and oppressed ponies. I then had to wait years for the clouds to become available. And now that I have ascended, I am here for the same scum I was freeing the wasteland from. Scum like you.”

“Why you!” General Scribble yelled starting to move to strike Black Widow.

Kifo Herixleta was at his throat before he could get anywhere. “I wiped out plenty of scum who used mares for one thing, sex. I also wiped out the ones selling them. Who is that Pegasus?”

“You won’t be able to catch him,” General Scribble grinned. “Get out while you have the chance. There is no running or hiding from our law. Not for long that is. I’ll be kind and not report your presence for a few hours.”

Black Widow addressed the mare. “Have things gotten so bad up here that you have to sell your body?”

“It has gotten tight,” she said, nervously standing there. “I can barely make what I need and my parents haven’t worked since the clouds disappeared.”

“I’m sorry,” Black Widow said. “I couldn’t come any sooner than I did.”

With a simple roll of her hoof which flicked the blade with great speed, Kifo Herixleta decapitated the general.

“Who is the one he bought you from?” Black Widow asked. “The truth. Money might be tight, but I won’t allow for the sale of a mare’s body. Or a stallion’s. That is the worst type of slavery.”

The mare told him about Delivery and his services. The collar she wore was a sign of who she belonged to. She gave Black Widow as good of directions as she could. She believed he didn’t know how to navigate the city. Shadow had a map on hoof and had committed a good chunk to memory. Years in the field mapping had kept his skills sharp. Even in an urban environment.

Delivery would be Shadow’s fourth target. He was furthest away, and he wasn’t known by the Wonderbolts. It would show Shadow’s skill to find scum on his own. And he wanted to make that death as public as possible.

“I usually have to kill all of who see me,” Black Widow declared. “Usually. But not you so long as you do not report me to Delivery or speak about me until the sun rises. Then, tell everypony that I, Black Widow, have finally arrived to clean the scum out of the Grand Pegasus Enclave. You are my messenger in exchange for your freedom.”

Black Widow began to leave but stopped at the door. On the small table by the front door was a small sack with a dollar sign on it. Most likely it was her payment.

“I believe that he had your payment by the door,” Black Widow said. “Take it for your troubles. I have no idea what will happen to the Pegasus Race after I am done. I am not the only agent in play. Take it to take care of your family. That is what matters.”

Black Widow was out of the apartment and cloak on before she could react. Retired General Scribble’s sentence was taped to the door, right before she opened it. Shadow back away slowly as she tried to spy him, but the cloak did its job. And she didn’t make a fuss. She was embarrassed she had to go so far to bring in money.

The next target was an aristocrat named Wind Shear. He had been at the top of the Weather Factory for years as their head mixologist. He had concocted the very storm which Deke saved the South Cloudsdale District from. That was just one of his crimes. The others included social and political crimes that harmed peaceful pegasi and worked to keep the gap between the upper elites and the regular pegasi as wide as possible. He did all he could to step on the little guys like they were a red carpet rolled out for him. And he had a wife who reaped the benefits without a second thought.

Their penthouse was on the 58th floor of the premier housing cloudscraper. I was the second tallest building in New Cloudsdale. Getting inside past the security was not going to be easy. Shadow slipped into the side alley and slipped out of his suit. It left him in one of his old flight suits. But it was a military uniform with visible rank on his shoulder. Shadow quickly attached several devices to his chest to cover himself and make the uniform look proper. He took off, heading for the roof.

The moon was bright but it was still night. He got to the roof quickly. He pulled of the military devices, since he had made it to the roof without being seen, and put on the Black Widow costume again. He once more was Black Widow. It felt right. Better than it had below.

The stairs were easy enough to break into. Kifo Herixleta sliced through the lock with ease. It was an electric lock. But that also left him less time. Guards would be responding to the breach. Even cloaked, he didn’t want to play that dance.

Shadow got to the 68th floor and found the elevator empty. He stepped in and hit every button to go down. At worst it would look like a prank. He stepped off on the 58th floor. There were only 4 penthouses on the 58th floor.

Shadow walked up to the proper door and twisted the knob. It opened with ease and without a squeak. Inside was not just clean, it was perfect. And not just how it looked. The symmetry was outstanding. Which meant the door didn’t squeak because it too, had to be perfect.

The lights were on, but the noise led him to the bedroom. Shadow saw something he never wanted to see. Wind Shear, his wife, and a third, young, mare were in bed together. The mare’s lingerie had mostly been stripped off, but Shadow could see the same collar around her neck as the previous mare.

Shadow had seen enthusiasm and love. Not just from Cardinal Spitfire, but from ponies and Zebras. But that mare knew what she was, property to be bought and used before it was returned.

Shadow uncloaked and surged forward. The wife was left with a gash from her flank to neck. Kifo Herixleta was flicked around where Shadow plunged it straight down into the heart of Wind Shear. He iced the blade over, freeze and cracking Wind Shear’s heart.

Shadow heard something hit the floor and looked behind him. The mare had backpedaled off the bed where she had fallen and then continued to scrambled backwards until she hit the wall. The fear was evident in her eyes.

Shadow wanted to comfort her, but Black Widow didn’t comfort ponies. Her words were cold “Are all the upper class free to use the commoner’s bodies for themselves?”

“We-we-we” She stuttered and swallowed the lump in her throat. “We need the money. I was left with no option. I’m just trying to care for my family. My husband died below. I had to come up with money somehow.”

“Below? As in just now?”

She just nodded in fear.

Black Widow growled. “All I have heard about the Grand Pegasus Enclave was how perfect and good it was. How things like this never happened. How bodies were not sold like they were below. By the charm on your neck, I believe you are owned by Delivery?”

She just nodded, despite having lost some of her fear. Black Widow got the information about where Delivery was. It matched what the first mare had told him. It felt wrong pulling it out of her because of her trauma, but he had no choice. He wasn’t there to play nice. She got her life. That was the prize.

“I normally have to kill all who see me,” Black Widow said. “But you, I can’t. I have a soft spot for those forced into sexual slavery. Besides, that was below, where things are different enough. But do not cross me. Do not speak of me until the sun has risen. And as you leave, tape this sheet of their crimes to the front door, so that all may know what they are guilty of. If you know where your payment is, take it. I know not what is to come after this evil falls.”

Shadow left her the verdict and exited. As he left the front door, he saw the guards at the next door over, talking to the resident. They all looked directly at him. There was no time to cloak.

Shadow bolted to the stairs. Despite his size, he outpaced them with ease and got to the stairs a good ten seconds before they could. He went up two flights and then opened the 60th floor door. Loudly. He flipped his cloak on and started to ease his way up the stairs. They fell for the misdirection and once the stairwell door closed, Shadow could freely make his way to the roof.

Shadow got behind an air conditioning unit and got into the flight suit. He pinned on the military devices and took off. He cruised smoothly down towards a group of civilian housing in the direction of his third target. He dropped into an alley and, after checking that nopony was watching, he changed into Black Widow again.

Black Widow had just made a direct splash. More than he wanted, but by morning it would be all over the news. Exactly how he needed it.

The night was still young as Shadow got to the third house. Again, it was upper class housing. Unlike the last place, it was only 4 stories and unguarded. Shadow made it to the room without any problems.

The door was also unlocked. Shadow slipped in and took stock of the situation. The lights were down low and the only noise was coming from the bedroom. Retired Admiral Ripple’s wife had died a few years back. Shadow sighed and braced for what he might see.

An extremely scared mare was strapped down tightly across the bed, gagged to keep her from screaming too loudly. She couldn’t be more than a filly from what Shadow could judge. Everything was out in the open. The only thing she wore was a collar with an envelope charm on it.

Her tears did not deter the admiral in his quest for her body. He had ordered her, and now it was time for him to feast. And he had been feasting for a few hours by the look of things.

Shadow didn’t draw Kifo Herixleta. He surged across the room to the bed without making a sound. The blow was more of a shove and it knocked the Admiral off the mare and off the bed.

He turned to see Black Widow standing on the bed above him. He stood up and backed up a bit.

“Who are you!”

“I am Black Widow. I have come to answer the cries of the pegasi who you have destroyed for your own gain. And worse, I find you forcing yourself on a filly. The physical abuse on top of the sexual is plain for all to see.”

“Ha!” he laughed once. “I heard of you. You are nothing but a shadow who won’t stand and fight.”

“I am the sword Justice wields. You do not see me coming and I cut down all in my path.”

Black Widow drew Kifo Herixleta and lit her ablaze as she twirled it for effect. Black Widow sheathed the sword.

“I normally would kill you with the sword and keep things simple, but I have time for you."

"Excuse me?" Admiral Ripple asked.

"I mean this is hoof work, but blade work. Well, actually, it's rope work."

Black Widow ducked low, fainting moving in. Instead she pivoted and bucked him in his chest as he tried to counter the move that wasn't coming. It threw him back against the wall where he slumped down, out of breath. Black Widow choked him out to ease things.

She turned back to the still crying mare on the bed. She undid her closest foreleg first and the mare scrambled to try and get the others undone.

"Easy," Black Widow said softly while she worked to free the same side's leg. "It's going to take more than blind groping to get it off. It's not meant for you to take off. That is the ugly reality of such a vice."

She got her hoof free as Black Widow undid her other leg. She grabbed at the blankets to cover herself and then tried to run. Black Widow grabbed her and hugged her.

"Shhh," She cooed, remembering how Her family would sooth Dream Catcher as a foal. "It's okay. You are free. But if you try and run you will just end up face planting on the floor."

The filly gave out and melted into her arms. After a bit Black Widow set her on the edge of the bed.

"I understand that this option is a new one, and that times are desperate with the clouds gone, but this isn't the answer. Sadly, you just learned the hard way."

"Does sex ever get better?" She asked. "Real sex. Not what he was doing."

"With the right one, it does. I know of a mare or two below who were once enslaved to a group that specialized in the vices. Drink, gambling, drugs, and the use of the mare and stallion body for both displayed pleasure and carnal desires. Bondage was something many enjoyed using when they purchased them for the hour or two. Or evening. Those mares had nowhere to go in a sea of ashes that would consume them.

"But that mare escaped, with my help, and she went on to eventually have a few foals and a spouse who understood and cared for her like it didn't happen. The past can be healed. I won't say it is easy, but it can be."

"And what are you going to do to him?" She asked.

"It is my job to clean up the clouds. I am going to sentence him for the list of crimes I have for him. I will be adding this, incident, to his list."

Black Widow got up and found the Admiral's desk. It was easy to make a sign to hang around his neck when she tossed him off the building and hanged him. It said: "Filly Fucker."

The young mare hadn't moved. Black Widow searched the Admiral's bag of "toys" and found more silk binding rope than he had expected to find.

Time was ticking. It was already 0057. The extra time cleaning up Delivery would make his special target a hard one to hit that night. Another day wouldn't matter as he killed the even greater atrocity.

Shadow couldn’t tie a proper noose with the silk rope. He just tied it off around his neck in an unyielding bowline knot and fixed it on his neck. Shadow rolled the unconscious Admiral on his back and moved him to the roof. It was late enough that nopony spotted him.

He tied it off to some pipe that was on top of the roof and near the entrance. Shadow did the dirty work, not leaving it to chance, and snapped his neck. He put Admiral Ripple on the edge, pinned his sentence on his chest and put the large sign around his neck. He kicked him off so that he was dangling in the center of the building. He wasn’t that far down, but he would be noticed.

It was off to his last target: Delivery. It may or may not be his real name, but it was who he was after. The sentence was what mattered. Cleaning up the sky was what mattered. Fixing his home was the goal.

The address for Delivery was in the lower end of New Cloudsdale’s economic living situation. It wasn’t a slum, but it was lower end housing. He did have a balcony. Shadow could see it from the street. Getting up to the fourth floor was easy.

The door was unlocked. And inside was abuzz with activity. A dozen mares were standing around in coats and clothing, hats, and scarves to cover their lingerie and especially their collars. There was a mare at a table talking to a stallion. He didn’t belong in such a low income house with what he was wearing. She was dropping off the full payment so he could record it and then give her her cut. He had her strip to her lingerie and do a full turn, inspecting her before he paid her.

None of that would stand. Shadow uncloaked without them noticing and walked right up to the table. That they noticed, but none of them knew who he was.

“Are you here for an interview?” Delivery asked. “It is late, but I could squeeze you in. Or you could me.”

Shadow rolled his eyes under his helmet. “I am Black Widow, and I am here for you.”

“I only do that in interviews,” Delivery said, leaning back. “But I like the name. Now off with everything so I can get a look at what I will be working with. I understand the discretion.”

“You misunderstand,” Black Widow said calmly. “I am here for you. That book in front of you is enough proof I need. You are destroying this cloud city with your little ‘job’.”

Delivery snorted. He pulled out a gun from under the table and put it down on the table. “Vigilante? I would turn around and rethink your life choices.”

Black Widow laughed. “You don’t seem to understand. I was called by Equestria to here. I was called to clean up the clouds and reforge the chains that would bring her together. And you are one of those Pegasi who are ripping the sky apart with your slavery and selling of a pegasi’s body.”

Delivery reached for the gun but Black Widow lunged up onto the table, planting her hoof on his forehead and pushing him back. He tipped over backwards in the chair. He found Black Widow over him and she pounded his head multiple times until he was left drooling blood and dazed.

Black Widow looked back at the stunned mares. “Go! You don’t want to see this. Take your money and go. I know things are tough, but this isn’t the answer. I already rescued two mares who were beaten and abused by the ones who bought them. One was a filly. He doesn’t care about you. Only if you can make money off you!”

They didn’t need to be told twice to scramble. Shadow looked at the idiot beneath him. He had one idea of what to do to him. He scrounged around and found a cache of the collars he put on the mares. Shadow attached one to his neck. At the last moment, he pocketed another collar for a keepsake. Just like the gold Lux chip, this was going to be one of those reminders of a key, important moment in his life.

He then wrote on a spare piece of paper: I sell fillies and colts to the highest bidder for the night. With those in his bag, he tossed Delivery on his back and took him to a Law Enforcement office he had passed on his way there. It wasn’t far.

Black Widow openly dropped him on the doorstep, looked at the camera directly for a good 30 seconds, drew his bayonet and sliced open Delivery’s neck. With that, Black Widow walked around the corner and cloaked out of sight. It was a good way to really make a splash.

Shadow looked at the time. 0142. He was tired, but he had the time to pull off the last one. Black Widow was a convenient cover. He was going to publicly kill Honey Bee’s retired father, Retired Vice Admiral Killer Clover. Honey Bee was his third child. The props of being from an aristocratic family. They got to have more foals “for the betterment of the Grand Pegasus Enclave.”

The Clove family's estate was in the west part of New Cloudsdale. They had a big house with plenty of space, including its own gardens and suspended dirt, grass, and even stones. Two fountains were at the front entrance.

Getting inside the house took nothing. They obviously believed they were invincible. The locks were easy to turn with the cloud key. Shadow stalked through the house, cloaked. He found more than just the retired admiral. His wife was peacefully sleeping beside him and their daughter in law was sleeping in another room, with her infant foal.

There was no denying what had to be done. The Clove line had to be cut off as much as possible. It was their fault for the crimes they had committed. There was a long list, more than what his son had done to Shadow and the Inquisitors. They sat in a position of power, in a society that was supposed to be an equal opportunity state. They wasted food resources, had all kinds of perks like no restrictions on foals, and being grossly overpaid for just existing. And they were dead set against several other families and caused problems with them, in the hopes of causing them to implode so the Clove Line could gain more power.

Shadow first stepped into the foals room and over to the crib. He iced over Kifo Herixleta. He was going to make it fast and painless for the sleeping babe. Right as he went to plunge the blade into the child, he froze.

The last time he had killed young and old, it was out of confused anger. He was battling with himself. And a good part of that battle was over the things he had done.

But this wasn't like the times before. Now he was fighting for his home. Now he was fighting for the sky. Sad as it was, this foal was from a lineage that had killed, murdered, backstabbed, betrayed, and more to their fellow pegasi. This baby would bear the consequences of the sins of their father, and their father's father, and all the generations since the Enclave rose to power, and maybe even earlier than that.

Shadow took a deep breath in and channeled Black Widow. He forced himself to look at this situation as she would. She went to the extreme at times. And such was this.

He moved the blade so it was between the bars of the crib. With one easy move he sliced down, decapitating the foal with ease. It was the best he could do. It died in peace.

The rest of the family was easy. The mother died without trouble, a simple thrust silenced her forever. The same for Killer Clover's wife who shared his bed.

Black Widow made things easier for herself. She choked out Killer Clover before he could react. Then she pulled out her materials. She hadn’t come prepared for the others like she had him. She gagged him and then hogtied him. She had everything ready for this public execution.

Shadow got him on his back and he headed out. This time he didn’t use Mwokozi’s cloak. He used a StealthBuck. The cloak wouldn’t cover everything as he flew. The StealthBuck would.

They got to the Cloudsdale Monument and Shadow got him onto the roof of the actual monument. By mid morning, it would be bustling with activity. Exactly what Black Widow needed to make a point.

Shadow tied a noose around Killer Clove’s neck. He kept him hogtied and didn’t bother to choke him out once he woke up. He let the fear seep in. As the sun rose and the pegasi began to visit, Shadow moved back into Black Widow mode and prepared for the address.

Black Widow kicked Killer Clover to the edge and stood there for a minute. It caught some attention, but not enough. Now came the moment for the speech.

“PEGASI OF THE SKY, MY NAME IS BLACK WIDOW! I HAVE BEEN SENT BY EQUESTRIA TO CLEANSE THE WASTELAND. NOW, AFTER CLEANING UP IT, I HAVE COME HERE. I AM HERE TO JUDGE THOSE WHO FIGHT TO OPPRESS YOU. I AM HERE TO STOP THOSE WHO WANT TO RIP OUR WORLD APART AND BRING ONLY MORE STRIFE AND PAIN! I AM HERE TO MEND EQUESTRIA, AND YOU ARE EQUESTRIAN PONIES!”

“Get down here!” a Law Enforcement officer yelled. They were keeping the crowd back as best as they could.

“I WILL COME DOWN AFTER I GIVE THIS PEGASI’S SENTENCE. THIS IS RETIRED ADMIRAL KILLER CLOVE, THE HEAD OF THE EVIL CLOVER LINE. THEY HAVE HURT, BACKSTABBED, PUNISHED, OPPRESSED, AND MORE AGAINST YOU AND YOUR WINGED BRETHREN.

“WHILE I CAME HERE TO JUDGE THE GRAND PEGASUS ENCLAVE. I DID COME LOOKING FOR HIM. WHY? BECAUSE I FOUND THE PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY. I FOUND THE KILL ORDERS HE AND HIS SON GAVE THE INQUISITORS, AND THEN THE KILL ORDERS HE GAVE FOR THE INQUISITORS! I THOUGHT THEY DIED, BUT TWO SURVIVED. IT STILL DOESN’T STOP THE FACT THAT HE PERSONALLY, KNOWINGLY ORDERED THE DEATHS OF OVER 40 PEGASI! BOTH CIVILIANS AND SOLDIERS UNDER HIS COMMAND. THEY WERE DEFENSELESS, AND THE SOLDIERS WERE BLINDSIDED, UNKNOWING THE REAL TRUTH BEHIND THE ORDERS. THEY WERE TOLD A LIE WHICH THEY HAD NO REASON NOT TO BELIEVE. AND THEY DIED FOR IT.

“THIS IS NOT PEGASUS YOU WANT TO LIVE AMONG YOU!”

Black Widow kicked the bound, but resisting, Killer Clove off the edge. He fell into the wide opening and then the rope ran out, snapping his neck. He swung back and forth in the opening.

The crowd was silent for a while. They were not expecting to see an execution. And yet, they were not able to leave. Black Widow was the hottest thing in the news, or would be. And they had just witnessed it.

Two Law Enforcement officers landed on the roof behind Black Widow. “Drop to the ground below! Slowly!”

Black Widow stood there for a moment. Then she flipped forward, doing three full rotations before landing. The crowd loved it, the Law Enforcement officers did not. They all had their guns trained on Black Widow.

“I HAVE MORE NEWS,” Black Widow declared. “BEHIND ME, IN THE MONUMENT, IS A PIECE OF THE CLOUD THAT THEY SAY CAME FROM CLOUDSDALE. IT’S NOT. THAT IS A LIE. THE DEATHS ARE TRUE. THEIR LIVES ARE A HORRIBLE LOSS, BUT THE JAR HOLDS NOTHING BUT LIES. LIES TWO CENTURIES OLD.”

Kifo Herixleta was thrown as Black Widow twisted around. The Blade flew through the air, right between the two unmoving guards, shattering the glass. That got the guards to move and storm to block her from behind. The blade was recalled to the band and Kifo Herixleta was quickly sheathed, looking like magic as best as Shadow could do.

“DON’T MOVE!” An officer order. “You are under arrest. We have order and laws up here. And you just publicly committed a murder. It was a murder because it wasn’t by a trial by our judges.”

“Do you actually think you can arrest me?” Black Widow asked. “I am the one sent by Equestria, foretold generations upon generations ago. I can’t be stopped. Better ponies have tried.”

“Hold it,” A mare said, pushing her way through the crowd. She was in a streamline uniform, lemon hair styled nicely over her lime green head. Behind her was a young stallion. “I think this is best handled by us.”

“Of course, Captain.”

“I have studied the wasteland. I assume then, Black Widow, for you to have made it up here to the Clouds, you have solved the Kifopiga conundrum?”

Shadow realized who he was talking to. He had only seen a photo, but he realized who it was. And that meant he had to play it carefully. Lemon Lime was a solid member of Pony Patrol, the first Wonderbolt Squad Cardinal Spitfire was in. She hadn’t gone back to Fort Wind. Shadow didn’t know why she hadn’t. And that meant that the pony behind her was also a Wondercolt. A very dangerous situation might have arrived.

Shadow played it carefully. “Two toned was acquired. And so was the Rosemary dust.”

“That’s right,” she chuckled. “You can’t forget the rosemary dust. What was it, five pinches?”

“Four, but the original mix was five.”

“Did you have to remix it, or remove just a slice?”

“Remix, but then I did need to add a thin slice from the first mix into the second.”

“I see. But we still have a problem. I have to take you in. Our laws are clear, and you are on our clouds. I don’t think there is even a shadow of a chance you will come in peacefully?”

That was the key that Shadow needed to hear. It was a close dance full of hope, but this time, it is his certainty. “A shadow is all that there is. I can’t though. I have my job, my calling. I am-”

“I heard it all,” she interrupted. “Light, move back. You are not cut out for this.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Light said. “But I must ask, as your second, are you certain?”

“I haven’t trained you in this. You see, Black Widow is obviously trained in the close combat arts of the Zebras. You are not ready for that battle.”

“Very astute,” Black Widow said. As much as it was a praise, it was a cold warning.

“You will know what it is like to face a pegasus trained in hoof to hoof combat by one of the best Wonderbolts. That was a special treat.”

“I am sure it was,” Black Widow coldly replied. “But unlike your training, I have applied the science of martial arts honed over years of combat.”

“That’s why it’s just you and me,” she said. “I can report it to my friend, Cardinal, as to how well this goes. But Lemon Lime doesn’t go down easy.”

Black Widow jumped in throwing two quick strikes. Lemon Lime blocked them easily. She responded in kind. Black Widow easily blocked them and let herself be backed up a bit. It was the final piece of the puzzle. If she was actually trying to take Black Widow in, she wouldn’t have started with such a simple combination. It was a base form the Wonderbolt taught and used. The same base the Inquisitors learned.

Shadow ran a simple Zebra combination. It gave Lemon Lime a hard time, but it looked beautiful as Lemon Lime slipped out of the way of the windmill kick. Lemon Lime went in with a good combination. Black Widow dogged and rolled.

Since Shadow was low, he hit Lemon Lime’s shoulder. She tried to hit him there, but he leaned to the side so she missed. Shadow was mean. He used the band and rammed out Kifo Herixleta’s pommel into her ribs. Right between two of them.

But it wasn’t without merit. It set Shadow up for his exit. He began to do backflips out of the area. Black Widow’s cloak billowed out, making a spectacular show. The crowd parted to let him out. It gave him the exact moment he needed from the eyes of the law and landed, rolling so he could get Mwokozi’s cloak on him and disappear.

Behind him, a bunch of “oohs” and “awes,” and then a big round of cheers for the spectacle. They had put on a good, realistic show fight. And the crowd would remember that along with the mystical powers of Black Widow and the sentencing. The Wonderbolts looked good in their eyes too.

Shadow got back to the safehouse and hunkered down. He stashed the Black Widow costume in his gear and set the alarm. He needed the sleep.

Shadow woke up a few hours later, not by the alarm. He woke up as somepony came in. It wasn’t that they were loud, Shadow was just on edge. He popped his pistol holster on and walked out to meet them in his flight suit.

“I’m awake and in here,” Shadow groaned.

“Ah, the other occupant,” Lemon Lime said with a smile. “And it is Command Sergeant Major Shadow Flare. I thought that was the armor you were sent down in, but you were always out.”

“It’s a pain, mapping this city.”

“Why are you mapping it?” Light asked. “We already have a map.”

“I am mapping the strategic location and application of troops applied to the city.”

“What?” Light asked.

“I don’t know either of your names,” Shadow said. “Officially. I believe you are Lemon Lime from a photo of Pony Patrol I saw.”

“I’m Captain Lemon Lime, the lowest ranking member of the old Pony Patrol. But the head of Squad 56, the Total Eclipse. And this, this the only other surviving member, Lieutenant Commander Light Art.”

“Just you two?” Shadow asked.

“It was three of us in the Unit,” Lemon Lime explained. “So not too bad of a loss. But yeah, we lost one over you.”

“Damn,” Shadow swore. “I hate that. I’m sorry.”

“I hated him,” Lemon Lime stated. “He was the best in our business, but I hated him.”

“And that business is?” Shadow asked.

“Information. We are information gatherers on key players in the Enclave. Particularly New Cloudsdale.”

They stood there for a minute and then Shadow yawned.

“Killing 5 pegasi in a night is tough work,” Lemon Lime said, quietly.

“Huh?” Shadow asked.

“Does Cardinal know? Or Firestorm?”

“Know what?” Shadow asked.

“Damn it!” Light Bomb swore. “It wasn’t him. You said it was! That is why you let her go.”

“Keep the noise down,” Lemon Lime chastised.

“But!”

“Shut it,” Shadow growled. He grinned at Lemon Lime. “Thanks for that.”

“Bastard deserved it. But did you have to smash the glass?”

Shadow shrugged. “I hated the lie since I first saw it that week I was here with Cardinal. The day before we decided to date. And three days before we got married.”

“Damn, your marriage…” Lemon Lime said, shaking her head. “She stayed strong through it all over the years. I owe her a lot.” Lemon Lime snorted. “She taught me a lot.”

“She did a lot,” Shadow replied. “She saved me by marrying me. I never would have made it below without her being up here, waiting for me. And you guys, Pony Patrol. That saved my ass quite a few times.”

“Too bad it didn’t save more asses,” Lemon Lime sighed. “But what is up with this whole Black Widow thing?”

“Nopony up here knows this,” Shadow said. “Okay, one pony, and the Zebras.”

“I heard about them,” Lemon Lime added.

“Wait,” Shadow paused. “What has you Wonderbolts running around in those uniforms?”

“Oh our Law Enforcement uniforms? Just that. Our squad works quite closely with the Law Enforcement Division. We wear their uniforms to blend in. Now back to you.”

“Mtoaji is what they call me,” Shadow added. “Not just the Zebras, but a lot of ponies below know me as that. And that is wrapped up in everything. Let’s see...well I should just tell you the whole prophecy.

“Shadow Flare you will be given, for by a strong desire you shall be driven. Black and white, day and night, your two colors will be such a sight. The split is a sign, that is to be a guideline. One white and black, blessed for life while on the attack. The three pieces of the puzzle, oh so subtle. Speed. Power. Agility.

“Thus will be your school, that you should be a tool. To protect what you love, from everypony, even those above. You are a gift to all kind, to be a real mastermind.

“Fate’s eye fell upon your head, even before you had your own bed. To lead your kind to victory, and rewrite history. You will have a duty to impose, beyond your humble abode. A farmer by trade, who shall wield a blade. Your life set to be the link, to save us all from the brink. The change must be forged in blood, or else it will be a dud. You will be sent to start that mend, and bring the separation to an end. Between you and your true heart’s desire is a land full of fire.

“To quench it shall be your new battle cry, and all who oppose must die. They will spill your blood in hate and force you to lay in wait. When it is the time to rise, you will once again see the sky. All that stands in your way, has had it’s time to play.

“Your charge is to cleanse the land, so the Pegasi may stay grand. You are the one foretold, Mtoaji. The Mender.”

Lemon Lime thought for a moment. “Did it have to rhyme?”

“It was Zebra seers who foresaw it.”

“Did it also have to be Zebras?”

“I’m friends with Zebras,” Shadow shot back. “They have saved my ass...well only two have ever really saved my hide, a magician and a healer. The others I keep saving and training. But we are now a really good unit that fights cohesively. And now they are here making sure I get home. And have a home to stay at. Although they would love to have me stay with them. I saved their village and helped them grow. I also cleaned out the scum in their part of the safari.”

“It was an odd set of years for you, wasn’t it?” Lemon Lime asked.

“I was,” Shadow nodded with a chuckle. “But there were a lot of good times too. I did a lot of good work.”

“So,” Lemon Lime started, dragging it out. “Those medals you got while you were still in our wasteland. Was that you, or Black Widow?”

“About 50/50,” Shadow replied. “Firestorm asked me for a report on everything I did. It was a cursory overview of everything. So we don’t do specifics. At this point, what she doesn’t know wont hurt her.”

“That makes a lot of sense,” Lemon Lime said. “Do you expect those medals to hold up when she finds out?”

“Does she have to find out?” Shadow asked. “But seriously, no. I don’t. But they will. Because when this is done, she won’t care enough to retract it. Neither will the Council. They are going to owe Black Widow this war.”

“They barely survived an attack this morning,” Lemon Lime told Shadow. “A good chunk of the ACUs and Some of the Wonderbolts were injured. And deaths.”

“Three Wonderbolts,” Light Bomb said. “And 13 ACU soldiers lost. All in the defense of the Council. The Fourth Councilor sustained a gunshot wound, but he was also was shooting at the group storming them. It was a very close call.”

“I’ll make those bastards pay,” Shadow said. “As me.”

“They are out of Nellie,” Light Bomb added.

“I’ll get to them,” Shadow said. “First, here. Unless they need me to go. I could wipe them out.”

“You would,” Lemon Lime agreed. “But I am sure they are devising a better plan.”

“They probably are,” Shadow agreed. “I am trying to figure out the food distribution center.”

“Is Black Widow going to hit there?” Lemon Lime asked. “I just want to know to be able to properly screen the general.”

“Not sure,” Shadow shrugged. “I don’t know. We will see what I find. I was doing stuff at Mareland, so I haven’t fully switched gears.”

“Right,” Lemon Lime chuckled. “It was Black Widow who did all that damage. They won’t admit it. But word leaked out about something. And my sources said that it was a small mare in a black outfit and gas mask. Glowing eyes too.”

Shadow sighed. “I had to have those made special. A hard process. And then kill her to keep my identity sacred.”

“Really?” Light Bomb asked.

“Black Widow sucks,” Shadow nodded. “I hate her. But I had to wear something that would cover me so that I could go into towns and live. I didn’t come up with the name. Other ponies did. I wasn’t even aware they were thinking of a name.”

“You really hate her,” Lemon Lime said. “I can see it in your eyes.”

Shadow sat down on the couch. “I do. She does good. A lot of good. But there is a dark side to her. And there is no grey. There is only black and white. Just like my coat and mane.”

“Which was the sign,” Lemon Lime said. “And a big piece of meaning in your life and pride. And for a really good reason. But you are more white than black. And that is what is important. You saved lives. You had to have saved lives.”

Shadow snorted a laugh. “Oh yeah. I did. And I made some good friends despite it. I just have to remember the wisdom Xys taught me over the years about me and Black Widow. And the advice she gave me before coming here.

“I am not what I see myself as. My actions are tried and true. I look to build up wherever I am. I save what I can. When a fire sweeps through the savannah, it destroys much of what was there. But it left in its wake enriched soil that only helps things grow better.”

“Until the next fire,” Lemon Lime inserted.

“That is exactly her next point,” Shadow chuckled. “It goes on to talk about life, cycles, and living. I hate Black Widow, but she is a part of me. A key piece of doing the job Equestria called me to do. And I do love that job.”

“And you are doing it well,” Lemon Lime said. “You struck a key blow to the military. And you are helping strengthen the division between the citizens and the military. They may have stolen our name, but they won’t be able to hold onto the citizens for much longer.”

“It makes things easier,” Shadow said. “None of the ponies I care about are in the Grand Pegasus Enclave, and that is who Black Widow always had to go deal with. They will take the brunt of it for a reason.”

“Brunt?” Light Bomb asked. “Are you going to have to turn on the Equestrian Pegasus Military?”

“No, I won’t,” Shadow said. “But I might be addressing the Council at some point. As the ponies they are. A name change won’t fool her.”

A knock at the door made them jump. Shadow’s hoof immediately moved to his pistol. Light Bomb went to answer the door.

“General Blue Shield,” Light Bomb said. “Come in.”

“I’m sorry,” General Blue Shield said. “I know we said we would talk tomorrow morning, you had a long shift that started about midnight, but a few more things happened. Oh, I didn’t see you there.”

“Shadow Flare,” Shadow said standing up. “Command Sergeant Major of Reconnaissance Shadow Flare.”

“Actually is of the Army,” Lemon Lime said. “Entire army. I assume you haven’t heard of that. The Equestrian Pegasus Military is official.”

“Damn,” Shadow swore. “I missed a few days while I was doing recon.”

“Urban recon?” General Blue Shield asked.

“A lot of potential here,” Shadow said. “But the focus is the food distribution center. We have no need for the rest of the city.”

“Good,” General Blue Shield said. “And since you missed it, the Law Enforcement Division is doing our duty and protecting the citizen. We are only doing that. No sides, and don’t fuck with us or the citizens. We will take immediate and clear action if any military individuals cross that line.”

“Good,” Shadow nodded with a smile. “I like hearing that. That is what we were looking for.”

“Good?” General Blue Shield asked, shocked. “You say good?”

“Because the citizens are being cared for,” Shadow explained. “I am a Homestead Former. Turnip Homestead. Damn proud of it and going back to live the last of my life farming.”

“You caused a ruckus,” General Blue Shield said. “Not that I don’t mind. But I have to stay impartial.”

“I like that,” Shadow said. “I like that somepegasus in the sky knows what their duty is at this time. We desperately need that.”

“Do you know your duty?” Lemon Lime asked Shadow.

“Oh yeah,” Shadow chuckled. “I know it too well. But, the General here didn’t come to talk duty. I believe he needed you.”

“You should probably go sleep,” Lemon Lime said.

“No, no,” General Blue Shield said. “You might actually know something. A figure, Black Widow, has come here.”

“Ah,” Shadow nodded. “I am glad to see she has ascended. She cleaned a lot of the filth out of the Wasteland. She made it easier for me in certain areas.”

“Did you meet her?”

“Never,” Shadow said, shaking his head. “I was mostly in Trottingham. I heard stories on the radio.”

“She got to a pegasus I have been hunting for five years,” General Blue Shield said. “Yes, I wanted Killer Clove gone. And I wish I could have gotten a few of the others in jail. But they were protected by their status.”

“Who were you hunting for five years?” Lemon Lime asked.

“This pimp who went by the name Delivery,” General Blue Shield grinned like a foal on hearth's warming morning. “It was a beautiful delivery to us. She killed him on 18’s doorstep. Looked right in the camera too. I never had to deal with a live one. I would have wanted to kill him myself, so I am thrilled she didn’t put me in that situation.”

“Was he that bad?” Shadow asked.

“He was selling fillies!” General Blue Shield said, nearly exploding. “I couldn’t nail him for it. I didn’t know it was as young as it was until this morning...damn she was young. I was told to not to pursue it. With the downturn in the economy, it was a way for mares to make money for their families. Dirty money, but I was all but outright ordered not to pursue it. With the changing political landscape, I was going to go for it in a few days and shut him down, but she nailed him for me. Better than I could.”

“Good,” Shadow nodded. “I had to deal with too many scum below. I don’t like them above either, but we can sort that out after I settle this issue with the military.”

“Yeah,” General Blue Shield chuckled. “You do that. I don’t care so long as the citizens are protected.”

“And the food distribution centers?” Shadow asked.

“Those should be under our control!” General Blue Shield exclaimed. “Actually, they shouldn’t be under anypegasi’s control, but since they are, we should have them.”

“I agree,” Shadow said. “But remember, Homestead Pony!”

“What else happened?” Lemon Lime asked. “You didn’t just come to talk about that pimp.”

“Right, the pimp, and then the filly fucker, Admiral Ripple. She also nailed two others who bought sex that night. And she let the mares go.”

“Wait,” Shadow asked. “She let the mares go?”

“Yeah,” General Blue Shield said. “Why?”

“Below, she left only bodies to find. She never took a thing, bringing only death. Slaves caught in a raider’s home were killed as well. Wrong place, wrong time as she brought justice to the area.”

“They mentioned that in the reports,” General Blue Shield said. “I didn’t believe it. I thought it was a ploy to encourage them to hold their tongue those few hours.”

“Nope,” Shadow grinned. “She brought death, and only a few times did ponies live to tell the tale. Mostly so they could tell the tale.”

“You got a lot of medals from your time below,” General Blue Shield said. “I bet you saw some deep shit.”

“Oh yeah,” Shadow said, grinning to himself. “Killed a Star Spawn. Giant clear bear beast with sparkling stars for a body. It almost killed me, but I prevailed. I killed a pack of hellhounds, with two others. Great warriors. Oh! I killed the Disciples. That was over 150 killed in a night.”

“So a lot,” General Blue Shield chuckled.

“I didn’t start on the Zebra lands,” Shadow smirked.

“Oh right,” General Blue Shield sighed. “I can’t believe you got awards for those.”

“I know,” Shadow said. “But I just gave the reports they asked for and they decided what I would get. And then made me wear them for that taping. And worse, the Council signed them.”

“You disagree?” Light Bomb asked, jumping in. “Sorry.”

“No, no,” General Blue Shield said. “You are in this conversation too. And I almost said the same thing.”

“Not a medal guy,” Shadow shrugged. “I just did my job and they gave me them based on the military reports.”

Shadow got up. “Look, this has been fun. But I was up all night mapping.”

“Urban mapping is not easy,” General Blue Shield chuckled. “We did a mapping exercise about 8 months ago. We accidentally scared a lot of the citizens in that city district. But it wasn’t easy looking at all the different ways a single building could be used by enemy soldiers and how we would have to deal with it.

“We will try not to be too loud.”

Shadow looked at the clock. “Fuck it. I am not going out tonight. I will start fresh in the morning.”

“Then I have another question for you,” General Blue Shield said. “If you don’t mind. I don’t entirely know how to deal with Black Widow.”

Shadow didn’t even think and he regretted it. “Let her kill off the evil pegasi and be glad you don’t have to deal with their shit.”

“I want that,” General Blue Shield said. “But I have to protect the citizens. And I have to worry about what the Council will say.”

“Protect the citizens,” Shadow immediately said. “And unless she goes after you and your officers, or the general public, I would focus on what you have to do right now. Not her. Catching her won’t be easy, and it will be a waste of your time. When I was below, she never once endangered innocent civilians. Yes, some got caught up in the fires she set, but she always did her best to not harm anyone innocent. It is tough when all you can do is leave bodies as evidence you were there, but if she actually had been going after innocent ponies, like our civilians, she would have been hunted by the Steel Rangers. She wasn’t for a reason.”

“I actually agree with that,” Lemon Lime said. “And I watched her kill Killer Clove this morning.”

“And fought her,” General Blue Shield said.
She knocked you around hard from what I hear.”

“Eh,” Lemon Lime shrugged. “I didn’t get her, but she didn’t knock me around too badly. She was maneuvering to get away without anypegasus shooting. We had a crowd and neither of us were trying to get them involved. Which is why I pulled it down to the two of us.”

“Good move,” General Blue Shield agreed. “Appreciated. With her magic, she could have caused a lot of damage. But I guess she really is targeting certain pegasi.”

“She killed three in Trottingham in public,” Shadow said. “No, four. No, I forget. She killed Gambit, then she killed that copycat. Then another copy car, and a third?” Shadow shrugged. “Ponies put on costumes like her and tried to pass murders off as her. She killed them, publicly, and didn’t kill others. She kicked one off a building to snap her neck.”

“She likes doing that, doesn’t she?” General Blue Shield asked.

“Huh?” Shadow stalled, thinking about it. “Yeah. In public places, single targets, it sends a good message from what I recall.”

“It dies,” Light Bomb agreed.

“Feed me more intel,” General Blue Shield said. “I need to be able to put a good defense down about my choice.”

“You will have to ask direct questions,” Shadow said. “And contend with years of not being in Equestria. And a little sleep depravity.”

“Okay, this might be a bit callous,” General Blue Shield said. “But how real is it that she could get the info about the Pillars of Equestria and then the Inquisitors?”

“Well,” Shadow said, taking in a deep breath. “I mean, we stacked the bodies and burned them as well as we could. But there was a lot left over. And Dahlia found us, meaning the site probably wasn’t touched for a while. She easily could get there and find that info.

“And I didn’t leave Rosemary too many months later. And knowing about Rosemary, as skilled as I understand she was, she could have gotten in to find out.”

“Rosemary?” General Blue Shield asked.

“Oh,” Shadow chuckled. “Right. So, we found a Stable. An occupied one. We broke in and slaughtered everypony. And then we made it our outpost until everypony died and I left. We thought Slice had died.

“And when I left, I left it in the hooves of the group we had fostered in the ruins of a town below the location of the stable in the mountainside. They had grown into a nice little settlement, and anytime we were tracked by an enemy, they lost us in their happy little settlement. It was a great screen for our operations. When I left, I locked a few rooms to keep our equipment safe, and then gave them it. They got some important stuff like weapons, maintenance equipment, and the hydroponics lab. Especially the food lab.”

“Ah,” General Blue Shield nodded. “I think I get it. But if you locked things down?”

“She can get into a lot of places,” Shadow said. “I don’t think you get it. She is a unicorn. Which means magic. Which means a lot of different things can happen. She can go where she wants and do what she needs to do to get info. I believe she can get anything she says she got.

“And if she didn’t get it down there, she got it up here. That wasn’t something we hid from the public. It would be hard to not put two and two together to make 40.”

“Fair point,” General Blue Shield nodded. "Question, is it dumb to want to invite a meeting with Black Widow? Or leave her a list to pick up containing the pegasi she can investigate that I can't do anything about?"

"That is pushing it far," Shadow said. "As far as I know, she never met with any political bodies or with guard chiefs. She went out of her way to not harm any guards doing their job in the cities, but the one time the guards had her target in their custody. She killed the target. Actually, that was made easier by their stupidity. They brought her out and the mayor announced that justice would be played out by their system, and she shot her in the head from quite a distance. I recall something about the bullet case being left in the room she took the shot in. An unrented apartment that was kept locked. In and out without breaking in."

"So, maybe?" General Blue Shield said to himself.

"Don't get your hopes up," Shadow advised him. "And don't cross the political line. And remember, she has targets she is watching and waiting for. I double she will hit again tonight. What was the number? 5?"

"Good point. And it was 5 hits, 9 dead. Including a newborn foal. Killed in his crib. At least the death looked quick and painless for the foal."

"I never heard this," Lemon Lime shivered. She had obviously forgotten Shadow was Black Widow, which could be dangerous, depending how she remembered that information.

"Collateral for getting to Killer Clove," General Blue Shield said. "The other Clove family members appear to have been given mercy by being killed while they slept. But she cleaned house. And the other was the wife of the dead aristocrat and the three of them were in bed with the mare they bought for the evening. So I don't give a shit about how she died. Besides, she knew everything that her husband had been doing and I know she did her own shit.

"The more I hear, the more thrilled I am that she let all the mares go. Killing them would have been easy and kept things simple."

"But you got a lot of information from talking to them, right?" Light Bomb asked.

"Yes, we did," General Blue Shield nodded. "Not much actually, but it felt like a lot. They never saw her come in, and they never saw how she disappeared. Or teleported."

Shadow continued answering questions. It quickly deviated to other wasteland questions. General Blue Shield hated the Zebras. Shadow didn’t blame him. There were a lot of good reasons to hate them. They were in New Cloudsdale after all. And the sky was sealed up to protect them from the Zebras. As long as he was willing to not shoot them and let them back Shadow, that was all that mattered.