Once A Shadow - From the other side

I slowly opened my eyes, awaking to the real world I was supposed to be in. Getting up, I saw Necro Fillyiac on the ground having what looked to be a seizure. That'll teach you to mess with my head you sick fuck. I quickly checked around for my knife, which surprisingly was still in him, apparently he didn't have tim to bleed (ba dum tss). I yanked it out of his spasming body, put it back in my sheath, and headed for the archives. And who should I find there? Crystal Shards, stuffing documents into the bag I had. He heard my steps, and quickly turned around to see me.

"Hornet, there you are! I was wondering when you'd get here, give me a hand grabbing these documents would you?" he asked.

"Sure, no problem. Why are you still here anyway?" I replied with concern.

"Ahh, about that. I was caught by our dying 'friend' over there, taking some things that didn't belong to me. When he found out what I was doing, he went nuts. He attacked me, and left some permanent souvenirs for me." he pointed to some heavy scars on his ribs. "But don't worry about that, I'll live. How's my daughter doing?"

I smiled. "She's doing fine. She's a little clumsy on some accounts but apart from that, she's completely fine."

"Have you done anything with her? Come on, you can tell me, I won't complain if she hasn't."

I chuckled at him. "well, now that you mention it..."

He laughed. "You lucky colt. Normally she doesn't let anypony do that kind of thing to her, you must definitely be special to her." he said as we shoved the last of the documents into the bag. "Follow me, I know a quick and quiet way out of here."

I nodded as I followed him through the narrow and winding tunnels, almost crashing into each and every corner. As we turned the final corner, we found something we really didn't want to find. It was an entire group of necromancers, just waiting for us with their mix of sharp weapons and dark magic. One of them stepped up and gave a menacing smile.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Crystal Shards and an intruder, with a bag full of OUR documents. Why don't you surrender now, and we'll make your death quick and painless."

"Ha, nice one. How about this? You get out of our way, an I'll make sure your body is intact enough to be identified."

"You really think that you'll be able to defeat us? Very well, you shall die now." He said as he charged me. He obviously wasn't thinking when he attacked, as I quickly got out my knife and brought it down on his head. I then pulled out my crossbow and shot one in the face, all this before any of the others could react. Finally the other necromancers snapped into gear, and attacked me with magic bolts. Easily dodging to the side, I rushed up to the group and stabbed one in the lower jaw, pulled the knife out and slashed another's neck, stabbed another in the chest multiple times, and threw the knife into the last one's head. They all fell down within a second of each other. I went up to pick my knife, when I heard a struggling noise behind me. One of the necromancers had flanked me and grabbed Shards, using him as a shield.

"Drop you weapon or he dies, intruder." He demanded.

"Don't listen to him Hornet, get out of here while you can! Don't worry about me, I'll be okay." Shards said.

"Not happening Shards, I promised Crystal that I'd get you home safe, and that's what I'm going to do."

The necromancer was getting impatient fast. "Drop your weapon NOW! I won't say it again."

I sighed. I whipped out my crossbow and aimed at the necromancers face, before firing with almost pinpoint accuracy. At the same time, the necromancer decided to cut Shard's throat. My bolt connected with his head, but not before the necromancer managed to slice some of Shard's neck. I charged over to Shards, who was now lying on the ground coughing up blood.

"Oh shit, don't worry Shards, I'll get you outta here in no time." I said as I tried to tend to his neck wound. He quickly shoved my hooves aside, bringing my head closer.

"Like I said, don't *cough* *cough*, don't worry about me. You need to get back and make sure Crystal is safe. Give her this necklace, she'll understand. I want you to take care of her, make sure she's kept away from all this necromancy. I don't want her to have the same life as I did. And by the way,*cough* you have my permission to go out with my daughter." He chuckled before he finally died.

I held back tears as I closed his eyes. "Silent enim finis interitus est. Requiescat in pace." (Be silent, for death is not the end. Rest in peace.)

I grabbed the necklace from his hoof and the bag from his shoulder before bolting out of the exit, and almost landing in the moat. Thankfully at the last minute I remembered I could fly, and glided centimetres from the blood red water. Not this time, sorry mates. I ended up on the battlements where I started, where I could see Shadow screaming his lungs off and the hostage next to him dead. I looked to where he was shouting at, and I could see Sorrow Curse leaving. Not this time motherfucker, the hostage is gone, so you're fair game now. I lined up my crossbow sights with his skull, and fired. The crossbow bolt flied through the air at break neck speeds towards the sick fuckers head. It landed with a satisfying thud, right into his skull. What I didn't expect was that he just pulled it out, looked at me, and smiled. He then noticed a note that I had placed on the bolt beforehand, and read it. It said:

Dear Sorrow Curse, if you're reading this, then I didn't kill you. If I didn't kill you, I didn't want to leave you with empty hooves, so I thought I'd leave you something to remember me by. If you go to the archives you'll find your friend Necro Fillyiac dead and your entire archives missing. Happy days, you sick fucker.

From the Fugiens Mones

He tore the note up, his face covered in rage. I gave a quick wave as I flew away, smiling about the reaction I'd get from him when he found the missing archives. I flew down to Spitfire and the others, who had a filly with them.

"Hey Spitz, I've got a shitload of intel, let's go back to the HQ so I can- Wait, who's the kid?"

"This, Hornet, is Solemn justice. Ni found her in the Fortress. I'm assuming your mission went well?"

"Well, yes and no. I got the intel and took out one of Sorrow Curse's best men, hell I even managed to take a potshot at the sick fucker himself. Unfortunately, my informant Crystal Shards, died."

"Well, I guess you gotta take the good with the bad. Come on, lets go. You've got somthing to say to Crystal, I'm guessing."

We flew back over to the Wonderbolts HQ, and inside Crystal was waiting inside expectantly. As soon as she saw me, she ran up to me and hugged me. "Hornet, thank goodness you're okay. I was so worr- Hang on, where's dad?" she asked worryingly.

"I'm, I'm sorry Crystal. There wasn't anything I could do. He, he's dead. I'm truly sorry." She started crying in my arms (forelegs). "Before he died, he wanted me to give you this, he said you'd understand." I said, holding the necklace. She took it, and put it around her neck.

"I, I think I need to be left alone for a while. I'm sure you understand. I'll be hiding out in Manehattan if you need me, but until then... please just give me some time to myself." She said before trotting out.

"Poor kid," soarin said "Nopony should have to live without parents, especially somepony like her. At least this kid will have somwhere to live. Welcome to the crew, kid." Solemn turned to Soarin and gave a smile that, had I not experienced any grief or pain, would have undoubtedly given me a heart attack.