Author's Note

HEY ALL

I WANTED TO ASK A FAVOR

I USED A NEW WRITING TECHNIC IN THIS CHAPTER, AND I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU GUYS FEEL A DIFFERENCE IN THE WRITING, THAT WAY I KNOW THE TECHNIC WORKS.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT.

THANK YOU

Phoenix Ch. 5 Vigilante or Villian.

3 YEARS LATER

(WITHIN ONE OF CANTERLOT’S ABANDONED FACTORIES IN THE OLD INDUSTRIAL ZONE.)

DANG!... DANG!.... DANG!

“ARGH!... Uff!...” said a tall, muscular man with long green hair as he fell to the floor wheezing in pain.

Footsteps could be heard coming near him.

“N-no… IMPOSSIBLE!... I AM THE ALL-POWERFUL MANESTROSITY… I… I CAN’T BE DEFEATED!” Manestrosity whizzed out as he bled.

“Powerful, maybe a long time ago…” said the other person as the moonlight washed over him

The person Manestrosity was talking to had black boots, black pants, black gloves, and a black-blue hoodie, but what was most significant about this person, was his mask, the shape, the darkish purple complexion of it, and most importantly… the deep-green slits that functioned as eye sockets, making the person look even more terrifying.

“... Your time is up,” said the man as he placed his hand on his chest and suddenly a blade appeared and impaled Manestorsity.

With his last strength, Manestrosity grabbed the man’s arm and said

“At… least, grant me my dying wish… tell me… who killed me,”

The man looked around the room for a second and then straight into Manestrosity’s eyes

“Someone, who is going to silence you, your allies, your silly propaganda, and your boss…” he said as he started to remove his mask “... just like you, tried to kill me years ago,” he finished as he removed it completely

The look of pure horror in Manestrosity’s eyes was enough to let the man know he remembered.

“N-no… I-Impossible… Y-YOU… YOU’RE DEAD, YOU DIED ON THE FLYING FORTRESS!” Manestrosity said

“Do I look dead to you?” said the man as he twisted the blade within Manestrosity killing him, a look of pure horror printed on his face.

“Ekess uoinota mrith wux,” (To hell with you) said the man as he removed his blade from the body.

He then proceeded to look around the room and noticed a computer and a phone.

“No password… on either… he must’ve been certain no one would ever make it back here… what’s this…” said the man as he read through the files and messages on both devices

“... my suspicions were correct, he did kill “normy” commissionaire Marvin Adler… oh, what is this?... a safe file… well, well, well… it seems I have my next target…” said the man as he downloaded the files and walked over to the window

“The night is still young… I should give the “good” doctor a visit, now that I’m in the area,” said the man as he jumped out of the window and flew away.

A FEW MONTHS EARLIER

“And last night has been registered in the history books of the Canterlot kingdom for all the wrong reasons, 10 murders, 18 kidnappings, 134 reported robberies, and muggings, it seems that villainy is defeating the heroes once and for all, and yet, we see next to no interest from most heroes in Canterlot who are more concerned with “Fighting the greater evil” what a letdown, the general mistrust on most heroes has skyrocket... said a TV anchor on the news

“Serves them right, those Canterlot Heroes, always thinking that they are superior to others, now their kingdom is in ruins,” Alistar said as he watched the news

“Dear, do I have to remind you that both our sons lived and worked in Canterlot?” said the Elenora

“Yeah, and they fit in with them, abandoning their family, thinking they are superior, it made them arrogant, and weak, that’s why they died,” said Alistar

“Do I have to remind you that we kind of exposed them to that mentality,” said Elenora

“If by “kind of expose them” you mean making them grow up seeing people treat their parents as Gods, then yes, but, we taught them to be better than this… I mean, Frederick, he looked down on his own son, he probably scared him for life…” said Alistar

“You have a point… I'm happy that Spike is with us now and seems to be doing better,” Elenora said as she placed another plate of food on the table

“Yes, thank God… but it is not like Kyle did it better, he was a playboy-wannabe, always interested in the glory and the girls, 5 of which are pregnant right now, and he being so interested in another woman called… Temperance, or Tempest, didn’t realize the shit he was getting into and got himself killed,” said Alistar

“Yes… I just hope that someday, those girls will accept our invites to join the family,” said Elenora

“He was cheating on all of them, with each other, I don’t think they’d be happy to meet,” said Alistar

“They are our grandchildren, so they are our family by default,” said Elenora

“I never said I didn’t agree with you, but…” Alistar started as they heard footsteps approaching

“Good morning Grandma, Grandpa,” said Spike as he walked in.

Under the care of his grandparents, Spike had almost, evolved, from his younger self, 2 years ago, he had a growths burst and went from being 5’5” to 6’6”, and with Elenora’s dieting and Alistar’s training he had become the poster boy the “perfect hero” archetype, not only that but thanks to his grandparents, Spike’s magic abilities had grown immensely, he went from being only able to ignite one of his hands for combat to be able to breathe fire and enchant his weapons with his fire magic to make them more powerful.

“Ah, there he is, the Dragonlands’ favorite son!” Alistar said as Spike joined them on the table

“Please don’t call me that,” said Spike as he sat down gave a small blessing for the food, crossed himself, and started eating.

“There is no point in hiding it dear, that’s what you are,” said Elenora

“Yeah, thanks to you, the crime in the Dragonlands is at an all-time low,” said Alistar

“I don’t work alone, many other heroes and sidekicks and even normies do their part, I am just another cog in the machine,” said Spike

“I still don’t know where this selflessness came from, his father didn’t even know what it meant,” said Alistar

“So, dear, do you know what you’re going to do as of next month?” asked Elenora only to be interrupted by the news again

“... and back to Canterlot as yet another battle between good and evil has taken place, with the Power Ponies eliminating the Corussa Crime syndicate, the Corussa Crime syndicate was a branch of the much more powerful Black-Star Crime Organization…” said the reporter as the camera showed Spike’s former league-mates.

“Well… at least they’re doing good, even the new girl, Demoness… at least it seems that my “death” didn’t affect them that much,” Spike thought

“Good for them, those girls have potential… I’m proud of your old league-mates Spikey,” said Alistar

“Me too,” said Spike as they turned to look at the TV again

“... however, not everything is good news, today marks the 2-week disappearance of hero Soarin Tempest…” said the anchor

“Soarin is missing?! Why haven’t his parents done anything about it?” thought Spike

“... the investigations continue regarding his disappearance, sources believe he was abducted by members of the Malum Crime Syndicate, since his last know whereabouts coincide with the last know mission he took, investigating Crime Lord Scorpan…” said the anchor

“Poor chap, hopefully, he is ok,” said Elenora

“... Investigators and fellow heroes pray and are doing their best to aid him for his safe return,” said the anchor

“However, we can’t avoid the fact that he might’ve already been eliminated by the crime family… this would make him the 4th member of the Canterlot Golden Hero Academy Generation to stop being a hero, second to die in the line of duty… the first being Humdrum…” the anchor said tearing up a little.

“Well, it seems you are fondly remembered,” said Alistar

“Acting,” said Spike

“Right~” said Elenora

Just then Spike’s phone beeped.

“Excuse me,” he said as he got up and headed to the next room to read the text message.

“What was that about?” asked Alistar

“Maybe he got a secret girlfriend or boyfriend,” said Elenora

“Dear, this is Spike, even after all this time and us telling him to get a partner, he refuses and looks uninterested.

“Yeah, but, there is always hope,” said Elenora as Spike re-entered the room

“So, sport, what was all that about?” asked Alistar

“Your girlfriend?” asked Elenora

“No… just some information regarding my studies,” said Spike

“Oh, good news?” asked Spike

“Yes, I’ve been accepted into Canterlot State University,” said Spike

“Oh, so you are going back,” said Alistar

“Yes… grandfather, it’s the place I was born, and it is in trouble, you saw it, the heroes are not doing anything, and crime is getting worse… plus, one of my old friends is M.I.A…” said Spike

“More than likely caused by the same Crime Syndicate that “killed you” I know…” said Alistar

“I have to go and help,” said Spike

“But Spike… they think you’re dead if Humdrum suddenly appears again after so long…” Elenora said

“I won’t be going as Humdrum… nor as Dead Flame… no one is going to know, I’ll just be another face in the crowd,” said Spike

“Well, we aren’t going to stop you… it is your duty as a hero and as a Davenport… here, take this,” said Alistar as he gave Spike a key card and paper

“What is this?” asked Spike

“When you get to Canterlot, go to this address, it’s your present for being accepted into university and being a great hero… good luck, Sport,” said Alistar

“Take care of yourself, dear,” said Elenora as she hugged him.

ONE MONTH LATER

(THE MORNING AFTER THE KILLING OF MANESTROSITY)

"Horrifying scenes at the Serenity Park late last night when an SUV plowed through one of the gates and crashed into a centennial Maraboth tree… the occupant of said vehicle was none other than doctor Ruben Lablas, also known by his hero name Doc. Hope…" the TV anchor said as they played the security camera footage.

"... as you can see, once the vehicle collided with the tree Doc. Hope got off of it as if in a daze, frantically looking around in a panic, and then, as soon as he turned around and started running… BANG!!... a fire bullet appeared out of sight and hit the doctor in the back making him fall to the ground…"

"Then, a hooded assailant appears on the frame walking menacingly towards the doctor while he tries to crawl away in fear… he doesn't make it that far when he turns around and says something to the assailant before this one stabs the doctor straight in the chest…"

"After that, the masked assailant looks around and plops something down next to the corpse of the doctor and then he walks a few steps before being engulfed by flames and disappearing… what do you think about this?" Asked the anchor

"This just shows the current state of affairs of our city, now villains are getting braver, for one to do such a brazen act, especially towards such a beloved character like Dr. Hope, whoever this is must be hunted down and executed," said a panelists

"I want to know what he placed next to the corpse," said another

"It was a safe file with a self-burning enchantment that said "for the eyes of Discord or her royal highness Queen Celestia," said the anchor.

"Oh, what did it say?" She asked

"Lord Discord let us know," said the anchor as Discord appeared on the screen.

“Lord Discord, an interesting night, wouldn’t you agree?” said the reporter

“Yes, rather interesting,” said Discord

“Tell us, what was in the file left next to the body,” said the reporter

“Evidence… evidence of all the evil things Ruben has done over the years… I just can’t believe it, I knew him, I knew his wife and daughter, never ever, did I think Doc. Hope, was actually, Dr. Death,” said Discord

“Excuse us,” said the reporter

“In the last 3 years, Ruben killed 10 women in cold blood, all of them either prostitutes or homeless, women he knew, no one was going to ask about,” said Discord

“How did this person who killed him learn of all this?” asked the reporter

“That I don’t know, but, if it's the source of the evidence your asking and the reason it exists, I have to agree with however is responsible for this… Ruben was self-absorbed and a narcissist he kept all these as trophies of his deeds, he thought no one would ever find out,” said Discord

“Lord Discord, there is a rumor going around that another wanted criminal was slain tonight as well,” said the reporter

“Manestrosity, yes, someone called us down to the abandoned industrial area because they heard a confrontation going on, when we arrived there were signs of a struggle and the corpse of one of Canterlot’s most wanted criminals lying dead on the ground… but, what scared me the most, was his face… the look of pure horror in his face… its as if he saw the devil himself before dying,” said Discord

“Lord Discord, any final comments you want to give?” asked the reporter

“If the person that did this is watching, I just want to thank them, I’m glad to know we have more heroes on our side,” said Discord as he walks away.

“And there you have it, any thoughts?” asked the anchor

“A new hero! This is interesting, said one panelist

“He is no hero, heroes don’t kill others,” said the other one

“Dr. Hope didn’t get the memo about that,” said the other panelist

“Did you already forget all the good things he did for society? Just like that?” asked the other panelist in a rage

“He is a murderer, most of the people he helped are lucky that they weren’t homeless or invisible in society,” said the panelist

“Regardless, whoever killed him is no hero, I bet it's just another villain coming to take revenge on him, I am not celebrating this,” said the panelist.

“Hm… it seems Boris Lakov doesn’t like me, but he is old school, for now, I’m not going to dwell on it…” said Spike as he watched the news while eating breakfast at his new home.

A mansion that belonged to his uncle Luke, which he didn’t really need anymore, and Alistar knew he could use as a base of operations, once he gets it up to speed again.

“Well, that was delicious, now, I better head out and do some old-fashioned tourism around town… and by tourism, I mean, looking for more clues and targets,” said Spike as he washed the dishes and headed out of his new home to look around town.

A FEW HOURS LATER

Spike had been walking around for a while seeing the new Canterlot, it was almost as if it was stuck in time, there were new buildings and shopping malls, but the rest of it seemed the same, except for the crime.

Spike suffered 5 attempted muggings, and in all of them, he sent the assailants to the hospital… or therapy, but none to the morgue.

However, this situation had put him in a bad mood.

“GOD DAMMIT, what the hell is happening in this city, why is there so much crime, when I left it was mostly under control, and now… ARGH! I wish I could go Dragonlands on this fools but…” Spike said until something, or better said someone, caught his attention

“Excuse me, sir, could you spare some change?” came a weak male voice.

Spike looked down and noticed a homeless person, begging for money, the poor guy was basically bones and flesh, he had a long unkempt beard and long, oily blue hair, but there was something else that caught his attention

“That voice…” he said as he knelt down to meet the man’s gaze, only for this to look away in shame

“... S-Soarin?” said Spike

“N-no, y-you’ve got me confused with someone else,” he said

“Dude, it’s me!... Humdrum…” Spike said as he forced Soarin to look at him

“H-humdrum?... N-no impossible, y-you died, w-we… I… I must be hallucinating,” Soarin said in fear

“I’m not dead man, see,” Spike said as he hugged his friend

“H-humdrum… you’re alive!” Soarin said as he hugged back, tears falling from his eyes.

“What happened to you?” asked Spike

“My father, he happened,” said Soarin

“You need to tell me everything, but first, let's make you look decent, come on,” Spike said as he took Soarin to the local bathhouse to get cleaned up.

2 HOURS LATER

“Now that is the Soarin I remember… minus the “homeless” diet thing,” Spike said as Soarin walked out of the bathhouse, clean-shaven, long, messy hair cleaned, stylish and trimmed, and a new set of clothes, courtesy of Spike himself

“You saved me again…” Soarin said as he walked over to Spike

“Dude, seriously, what happened? Back in school you were one of the richest students, what are you doing living in the streets?” asked Spike

“...I can’t believe it… you’re alive!” Soarin said again ignoring Spike

“Yeah, I’m alive,” said Spike

“How?” asked Soarin

“W-well, when I fell into the ball of fire, apparently, I missed my target for a few inches, making me land next to the crater caused by the explosion, however, due to the force of the impact of my body with the wall, it collapsed making me free fall… from there, I thinking my instincts kicked in and I somehow landed safely before passing out… as luck may have it, the people that found me are my grandparents and they raised ever since…” said Spike

“Like a Phoenix,” said Soarin

“Yeah… but enough about me, what about you?” asked Spike

“Well, I…” Soarin started, only to be interrupted by his stomach

“When was the last time you ate?” asked Spike

“A decent meal, at the soup kitchen 2 days ago, snacks and kindness, yesterday,” said Soarin

“Then let’s go get something to eat, and seeing that I am back after so long, there is one place I really want to revisit,” said Spike with a grin

“You’re not referring to…” Soarin said

A FEW MINUTES LATER

“Here we are, Sugarcube corner, man I missed this place’s smoothies,” said Spike as both he and Soarin got off the taxi

“Dude, I still think it’s a bad idea, everyone thinks you’re dead, and they probably think I am dead,” said Soarin

“Has anyone other than me seen your face?” asked Spike

“My mom, dad, grandparents, Flitter, Cloudchaser, their parents… your old league mates, the guys from S.T.I.G.M.A…,” said Soarin

“So then, we are golden, as long as they aren’t here no one is going to know who we are, apart of you, none ever saw my face,” said Spike

“But there is a fingerprint recognition system, something of a census for people to know which restaurants are popular and see who are regulars, a marketing strategy of sorts,” said Soarin

“What of it? If it helps them, great,” said Spike oblivious to what Soarin was referring to

“He didn’t get the point, as soon as his fingerprints are scanned they’ll find out who he is… wait a minute! When he “died” this was barely starting, most stores didn’t even have the fingerprint system yet… from what he told me, he did do it in the Dragonlands, so maybe his other hero persona will appear, we’re ok then,” Soarin thought as they both entered the dinner, but he immediately froze

“Something wrong?” asked Spike

“The girl in the counter…” said Soarin

Spike turned and saw a girl, she was around the same age as them, with long, puffy pink hair, and blue eyes, and she was waving at the 2 of them with a massive grin.

“What’s wrong?” asked Spike

“She knows my face,” said Soarin, omitting a VERY important piece of information

“Well, just make up a lie or something, when she asks,” said Spike

“G-good idea,” said Soarin as they walked forward

“WELCOME TO SUGARCUBE CORNER! MY NAME IS PAOLA AND I WILL BE YOUR SERVER TODAY… Long time no see Sebastian, we were starting to believe you were dead,” said Paola

“Yeah, no, I was… training, yeah… my father taught me a survival training regime the army used to train with and I wanted to give it a try, sorry that I made everyone worry,” said Soarin with a fake smile

“Well, you did lose weight, but I don’t see much muscle,” said Paola

“Yeah, turns out, I learned how to survive long enough to make it back to civilization, but not how to earn muscle along the way,” said Soarin

“Fair enough, and you are?” asked Paola

“Hi, my name is Xavien, I just moved here from the Dragonlands to attend college,” Spike said

“Cool which one?” asked Paola

“Canterlot State,” said Spike

“Wow, same as us! He wanna be friends?” asked Paola

“Sure,” said Spike

“Great! Bring it!” Paola said as she stuck out her hand to shake Spike’s

Spike did the same, but once their hands met, both of them felt a small jolt of electricity, that made them have a feeling of remembrance.

“That was weird,” said Spike

“Probably nothing, some static energy from the machine,” said Paola “Anyway, what can I get for you?”

“Her hair, it reminds me of someone, but who…” Spike thought unaware that Paola was asking the same question in her head

After a few seconds of taking their order, the moment of truth came

Soarin placed his thumb in the fingerprint scanner and it beeped

“Thank you for your patronage… Soarin Tempest,” Paola Whispered quietly

Then came Spike, Soarin was literally biting his nails as he placed his thumb in the scanner, and then, the machine beeped.

There was a moment of silence before Paola looked up at Spike

“Thank you for your patronage, your order will be ready in a few minutes,” she said with a smile

Spike smiled back and walked away with Soarin, who was almost as pale as paper.

But as soon as they were far from the counter, Paola quickly did a double take on the screen

“I-it can’t be… no this is impossible… I need to take a picture of this, if not the girls won’t believe me… I need to tell Cheese Sandwich about this!” Paola said as she quickly took her phone out and snapped a quick picture, for what the screen displayed, it was impossible for her to explain “Welcome back, Humdrum!” it read.

A FEW MINUTES LATER, at a booth at the far end of the dinner

“Are you sure that’s enough food?” asked Spike

“Yeah, you don’t want to overload your body with carbs and calories after not eating for a bit, it can be dangerous for your health,” said Soarin as he ate his sandwich.

“If you say so… so, tell me, what happened?” said Spike

“Well, it happened 2 months ago, I had returned from training when I heard my father talking on the phone with someone…

MEMORY

"MOM, DAD, I'M HOME!!" Soarin said as he entered his house, only to be met with silence.

"Odd, mom would usually come to welcome me…" he said as he walked towards his room not giving it much thought, but stopped when he heard his father's voice coming from his study

"... yes, it is done… I kept my end of the bargain, now it is your turn… well it better be the case… let me remind you last time we tried the fortress was blown to bits by those stupid girls and their pet sidekick… and whose fault was it that we lost lots of our manpower?... oh don't get me started on that, calling that stupid sidekick a hero, please, a real hero survives something like that… yeah the next batch will be ready in 2 months… on the same account… yes… yes, nice doing business with you," Soarin's dad said as hung up

"What the fuck?! My dad was involved in the flying fortress incident?!!" Soarin thought as he accidentally bumped the door, alerting his father.

"BOY, I KNOW YOU ARE THERE! YOU BETTER ENTER THE ROOM NOW!!!" Soarin's father said

Soarin entered the room and looked at his father in disgust

"I'll assume you heard most of that," his father said

"How could you, you put the lives of millions in danger and you don't even seem to care," said Soarin

"Why should I? I don't know those people, they mean nothing to me," He said as he turned to look out the window.

"Why would you do this? You're a hero in everyone's eyes?" Said Soarin

"So what? Being a hero doesn't get you that far in this life, DO YOU REALLY THINK I WAS GOING TO BE GOING OUT EVERY DAY JUST TO SAVE SOME LOWLY NORMY AND GET A THANK YOU AND A PAT IN THE BACK?... no, I am destined for greater things… and so are you, every single one of your ancestors amounted to great things, they were heroes amongst heroes, the best of them all…" he continued

"SO ALL THIS OF BEING A WAR HERO WAS A LIE?!" Soarin said raising his voice

"Of course not, but it is about time for a change, and for me to become what I truly am… a God!" He said

"Y-you… you sold yourself out to Tirek, didn't you!" Soarin said

"Sell myself out? Never, too expensive, he just made me an offer I couldn't resist," he said

"Which was?" Asked Soarin

"Control over the city of Cloudsdale, the land that should be rightfully ours," he said

"M-mom! There is no way she would agree to this!" Soarin said

"Your mother! HA! That woman will agree to anything I say as long as I buy her whatever she wants," he said

"Y-you… you helped plan the assault on the fort, you were stationed there for a full week before it happened," said Soarin

"Guilty as charged… but I believe we've spoken enough, time to decide son, join me and take your rightful place with me, or… well…" he said

"Many of my friends almost died because of you, one of my best friends DID! And it was all because of you," Soarin said

"My son? Friends with a sidekick? Don't Make me laugh, I accepted the fact that you were dating those 2 sluts you called girlfriends, but this is going too far, you've become soft… you are of no use to me like this," Soarin's father said

"FUCK YOU!" Soarin roared as he lunged at his father only for him to use his magic and send him flying through the window and onto the lawn outside the front door.

"You are a million years too early to defeat me… be gone for good, birthing you was a waste, you are no longer my son," he said as he pointed a gun at Soarin

Soarin just looked at his father in hate, got up, and left.

"And if you ever come back, I will make sure you leave In a body bag!" He screamed.

BACK TO PRESENT

"And… after that, I had no choice but to live on the streets… I did sneak in once, and I was able to get my phone… My room was trashed, all my cards were cut to pieces, and I could get my ID because it wasn't in my wallet… still, I can't help but feel as if my dad was looking for something in my room after he kicked me out, but I'm smarter than that… However, I realized that my dad took my ID to make his "friends" keep an eye on me, so, I had no choice but become a hobo… and then, 2 months later, you appeared back from the dead," Soarin said as he finished eating.

"You don't say, I imagine this is why you didn't go to Cloudchaser or Fritter for help," said Spike

"I didn't want to involve them," said Soarin

"Well, I respect that… well it is getting late… Soarin, there is a matter I must discuss with you, however, it best be in my house, we're the walls don't have ears," said Spike

"Sure," Soarin said as they both got up and left.

MEANWHILE

"... BUT IT IS WHAT THE SCREEN SAID, IT CAN'T BE, HUMDRUM DIED ON THAT FLYING SAUCER… BUT NOW, THERE IS SOMEONE WITH HIS FINGERPRINTS IN THIS RESTAURANT!" Paola said as she lost her mind

"Pinkie, babe, relax, it's more than likely a software error, I'll call Microchips and have him come down and fix it, ok," Cheese Sandwich said

"B-but…" Pinkie tried to say

"Pinkie, Humdrum was one of my best friends, I would love for him to be alive too, but he isn't… why don't you go and have some fun with the girls, get this out of your head," said Cheese

"You're right, thanks babe, I'll head over to their table," Pinkie said she hugged her fiance and left

"If only…" said Cheese

MOMENTS LATER

"Hey girls!" Pinkie said as she sat down

"Hi Fili, how have you been?" Asked a Masked Mater-horn

"Busy, what about the rest of you?" She asked

"Well, to be honest, we haven't been doing so much heroing this past couple of days, except for Ms. Perfect Apples over there," said Zapp

"I don't even want to imagine what you've been up to Zapp," Mare-velous said

"Hey, I took Humdrum's advice to heart…" Zapp started but stopped when she realized Radiance was there.

"It's OK Zapp, I still miss him, but… at least I know he is in a better place… and one day, we will see each other again… Oh, I just can't wait!" Radiance said with a smile

"You're still going to live your life to the fullest, right?" Demoness said looking at her friend

"Of course, but, as I told you before, no dating for me, so don't even think about it," said Radiance

"ONE, I am not THAT Into girls, and 2, how is that living to the fullest?" Demoness asked

"My body and soul already belong to someone," said Radiance

"So what, you gonna become a nun or something?" Zapp asked

"Heavens, no, their uniform is so~ last century," Radiance said

"Well, at least this is an improvement," said Rager

"If you count the fact she has a dead boyfriend as good, then, yeah," said Zapp

"At least she has a boyfriend," said Rager

"Whatever," Zapp said

"So, Mare, how is your investigation going?" Asked Matter-horn

"I'm close, in a few more days I'll have enough evidence to exterminate the Merchants, THEY'LL PAY FOR WHAT THEY DID!" She said

"OK, good… something wrong Fili, you look pale," said Matter-horn

Fili looked at her friends and said "something weird happened today… now, I'm gonna show you, but please don't go nuts over this…" Fili said

Her friends all looked at her in anticipation as she grabbed her phone

"A few minutes ago, someone came in and ordered, when he used the fingerprint scanner, this appeared…" she said as she showed them their phone.

As soon as the girls saw the picture on the screen their eyes almost popped out of their sockets

“CAN IT BE?!” Radiance said as she snatched the phone out of Pinkie’s hands and stared at the picture as if her life depended on it

“This can’t be, Humdrum died years ago, I-it must be a mistake!” said Mare-velous as she saw the picture as well and a tightness in her heart as she said those words

“Cheese says it is more than likely a software malfunction… but…” said Pinkie

“But?” asked Zapp

“I shock his hand, and, when I did, I felt… as if I knew him… from a long time ago… and this was even before he even used the scanner,” said Pinkie as she stuck out her hand, only for Radiance and Mare-velous to grab it

“Rarity, Applejack, chill, you’ll pull her arm off,” said Zapp

“Sorry dear, it’s just…” Rarity said

“Hard to believe…” said Applejack

“But it doesn’t make any sense,” said Demoness

“What does?” asked Masked Matter-horn

“First off, when Humdrum… “left” to heaven, this system was in its very early stages, second, from what you’ve told me, he didn’t like doing much shopping, and the stores that started this were clothing stores, thirdly, and most importantly, Microchips updated the software, he made it fail proof so…” said Demoness

“Actually, Sunset, I made it so that the error percentage was almost 0%, there is still the rare chance it was a malfunction,” Microchips said as he entered the dinner

“Oh,” said Sunset

“So there is a possibility it was all a mistake?” asked Fluttershy

“Yes, sorry If I got your hopes up,” said Microchips as he walked toward the back of the dinner

“Well~ I still think it was a very weird mistake,” said Sunset

“Yeah, but, a mistake is a mistake,” said Twilight

“Y-yeah, anyway, any ideas for university?” asked Fluttershy quickly changing the subject

“And here ah was gettin’ mah hopes up over nothin’... I promise you Humdrum, just like a promise to mah Ma and Pa, I will avenge you! Be it the last thin’ I do,” Applejack said as she looked at the picture of Humdrum on Pinkie’s phone

“SIGH!... it ended up being a stupid mistake… Humdrum, oh how much I miss you… But I know we’ll see each other again my love, I know this very much,” Rarity said as a tear fell from her eye.

“By the way, Soarin dropped by a few minutes ago,” Pinkie said all of a sudden

“SOARIN IS ALIVE?!!” all minus Rarity said

“Yeah, he was apparently doing some secret training and the media coverage of his “disappearance” was nothing but make-belief… he did lose a lot of weight,” Pinkie said

“Well, Cloudchaser and Flitter are gonna be happy when they see their boy toy again after thinking he was actually dead,” said Rainbow Dash

“I know right, they even would patrol throughout the night for consecutive days to find any evidence or trace of him, glad they can finally relax,” said Twilight

“Yeah, he came in with the guy who happened to suffer this incident with the scanner… come to think of it… the guy he was with was also a dragon, just like Humdrum was, he was even around the same age he should be if he were alive… and it seemed that Soarin and Xavien, the guy's name, seemed to know each other for years,” said Pinkie

“Xavien!? Now that is a strange coincidence,” said a male voice as he walked up to the girls

“Oh, hey Shadow, how’s it going?” said Pinkie and the girls, minus Rarity (her attention was still glued to Humdrum’s picture), as Shadow walked up to them

“Girls, we’re friends, plus, we are not on the clock, you can just call me Norman,” he said

“Right, anyway…” said Rainbow Dash

“Hey! What up Norm!” came Cheese’s voice as he and Microchips walked up to the table

“Nothing much, the investments are going good though, anyway, I’m feeling some sort of heavy atmosphere, what's going on?” he said

“Well…” Pinkie said and then proceeded to explain everything to Norman

“I see… well, was it an error?” asked Norman

“Maybe… I don’t know, the algorithm is fine… maybe it was just a temporal hiccup,” said Microchips

“I see,” said Norman

“By the way, Norman, why did the name Xavien surprise you?” asked Twilight

“Well, wasn’t Humdrum’s actual “rumored” name Xavien… something?” said Norman

“You’re right!!” Rarity’s head immediately said as her face shot up from the phone

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up, Humdrum explained to me that Xavien was a common name in the Dragonlands, and even though his parents lived here in Canterlot, they both loved the name, something about the meaning it has to them, but he didn't go TO into detail,” said MicroChips

“Oh,” they all said, and after a few seconds of awkward silence the conversation shifted elsewhere.

LATER THAT NIGHT AT SPIKE’S HOUSE

“So, this was your uncle’s house? Sorry about what happened to him,” said Soarin

“Don’t be, he got what was coming to him,” said Spike as he opened the door to his house, which was more of a mansion, and walked in “Follow me,”

Spike and Soarin continued to walk through the mansion until they stopped near a wall with a fireplace and a large painting with some strange symbolism in it

“Nice crib,” said Soarin “Hey, your house is close to mine,” he said realizing it

“Yeah,” Spike said as he walked over to the wall “What I am about to show you, stays between us,” said Spike in a serious voice as he placed his hand on the wall next to the fireplace

“Ok,” Soarin said

After a few clanks the fireplace disappeared to reveal a hidden stairway that led down into the house

“Come with,” said Spike as he entered the stairway followed by Soarin

After a few seconds of walking down the dimly lit stairs, Spike and Soarin arrived at an obscured hallway.

Spike took a step forward and a red light appeared out of nowhere, Spike continued to walk while the light remained on him for a few seconds and then disappeared

“Welcome back, master Xavien,” said the computerized voice

“Motherboard, I have a guest, please deactivate security measures for the time being,” Spike said as he motioned for Soarin to follow him

“Certainly master Xavien,” the computer said

Soarin just stood there, terrified and confused

“Well, come on, we don’t have all night,” Spike said

“R-right,” said Soarin as he hurried over

“Take a seat,” Spike said as they reached a table in the middle of the room

Soarin did as he was told while looking around at Spike’s hideout

“This is a cool base of operations… it kind of reminds me of Batman’s cave,” said Soarin

“Yeah, my uncle liked to pretend to be dark and mysterious, but, he was afraid of bats so, no batman, and of course, I gave it a more mothern twist to suit my preferences,” said Spike as he continued to look through some files

“So… why did you bring me here?” asked Soarin

Spike then stopped and held a file in his hand then turned and walked upto Soarin and sat down

“What I am about to tell you, is highly… confidential, you see, I belong to an old hero organization that almost went extinct decades ago… my grandfather was the last member of the group… and despite the fact that my uncle past the initiation, he quickly abandoned ship… this hero organization worked in the cover of darkness to protect the world from the shadows for big threats such as: supervillains, organizations, and even tyrants… when I became a hero in the Dragonlands, I took the oath and joined my grandfather in this organization… that leads me to my return to Canterlot…long story short… I was the one that killed Manestrosity and Doc. Hope,” Spike said with a serious face, looking at Soarin

“So… where is this going?” asked Soarin

“Manestrosity and Doc. Hope… helped Tirek’s organization, even betraying their own families… and this brings me… us, to this conversation… my nest target,” Spike said as he plopped the file down on the table

Soarin grabbed it and opened it, but his face remained expressionless

“... is your father, Howard Torres, also known as Hurricane Tempest… or the Colonel… one of the Capo’s in Tirek’s crime syndicate,” said Spike

“He was in charge of training the new recruits, I heard him say that…” Soarin said as he looked up and made eye contact with Spike

“Soarin, I have to kill your father,” Spike said

“I’m sorry Xavien, I can’t let you do that,” said Soarin

“Soarin, I know he’s your father, that’s why I’m telling you… but don’t think that because you are my friend, I will let you stop me,” said Spike

“That is not my intention… if anyone kills my father, it is going to be me,” Soarin said looking at Spike

“You want to commit patricide?” asked Spike

“That man is no longer my father, he said it himself, plus, I can’t forgive him for everything he did… and anyway, if we arrested him, he would be sentenced to death,” said Soarin

“Soarin, what I do… is very different from what they taught you at the academy,” said Spike

“To be a clean-cut hero? That never existed… sometimes justice, must be taken in your own hands, especially for the greater good,” said Soarin

“I can’t let you do this, just bringing you here and telling you all this, was involving you too much,” said Spike

“Then… let me join your organization,” said Soarin

‘Are you sure?” asked Spike

“I wouldn’t be saying this if I wasn’t,” said Soarin

“Give me a second,” said Spike as he made a quick call

A short time later, Spike came back.

“Follow me,” Spike said as Soarin got up and followed him toward a training arena.

"Stick out your power arm," said Spike

Soarin dd as he was told

Then Spike lit his fingers on fire and proceeded to touch Soarin's arm.

Soarin felt the sting of the fire as Spike began to speak

"Where there is darkness, we are the light… where there is evil we are the good…where there is hope, we are there to ensure its safety… we work in the shadows for the greater good for those who can't… that is our mission, the true way of acting for a hero…" Spike said as a design was taking form in Soarin's right arm

"... everything is permitted, but not all is good… be wise in the way you act…and remember, where you are, we are, for alone one cannot stand… welcome to the organization, Soarin," Spike said as he finished and removed his hand from Soarin's arm to reveal a marking in his arm.

"That… was… SO COOL!" He said " what is this?" He asked

"It is the proof that you are a Shadow Master, like me and my grandfather… from now on, my house and my grandparents' house in the Dragonlands are open to you," said Spike

"Cool! What now?" Asked Soarin

"You practice," said Spike

"Practice what?" Asked Soarin

"How to use this," said Spike as 2 blades appeared from nowhere.

"WOW!" said Soarin

"Now you try," said Spike

Soarin looked at him and then mimicked Spike’s movements and sure enough 2 blades appeared.

"Wow, just like in assassin's creed," said Soarin

"Yeah, I took the idea from there," said Spike

"WAIT FOR REAL!" Soarin said in shock

"Yeah, I thought it would be great to have an Ace under your wrist, just in case you got in a pickle, and I remembered AC," said Spike

"Wow, but wait, there is no mechanism," said Soarin

"Correct, these are not physical weapons, they are magic or alchemical weapons to be more precise, they use mana to work… and the mechanism is actually the mark, I thought that that having something physical was Abad idea, especially if you got captured, but no one would care about a tattoo, they'll overlook it immediately giving you an advantage," said Spike

"Cool," Soarin said as he began to run around striking the dummies in the arena

"No, bringing in your targets alive might get you in good favor with the other heroes, but, the people we are going up against are good at evading the law, more than likely because of their connections, so don't lose sleep over killing any of them," said Spike

"Understood… man if Microchips ever finds out of this he is gonna lose his shit, maybe even try to modify these," said Soarin

"Glad to see you enjoy the welcoming gift… well, we've got our tools and information, we've got our targets and plans, but there is only one thing missing…" Spike said as he walked over to the dresser "... I've seen your outfit, and I know more and more heroes are stopping to use capes, so, here, this mask will protect your identity better than your current one, or you may modify it to match your taste," Spike said giving the mask to Soarin

"Thank you, " he said as he put the mask on

"Well, I'd like to attack now, but, if found are not feeling up for it yet, I can wait while you practice," said Spike

"I'm ready, I know that mansion better than anyone, I can even tell you how to sneak in," said Soarin

"Well, lead the way," said Spike

LATER THAT NIGHT AT SOARIN'S HOUSE

“This way, follow me,” Soarin said as he showed Spike the hole in the defensive wall around the mansion

“Your parents don’t know about this?” asked Spike

“That’s the good thing of having a father with a God complex, he thinks he can’t make mistakes,” said Soarin

“Well, thank God for that,” said Spike

“By the way, what should I call you?” asked Saorin

“What do you mean?” asked Spike

“Well, I don’t want to call you by name when on the field, and calling you Humdrum is out of the question,” said Saorin

“Well, you can call me Spike… wait, no, that’s my everyday nickname… I don’t know,” said Spike

“Wait, you don’t have a hero name?” asked Soarin

“No, in the Dragonlands my name is Dead Flame, but here… I am a dead man walking, so…” said Spike

“Well, I’ve heard people on the street calling you “The Silencer” you should go with that,” said Soarin

“The Silencer… cool, I’ll take it… but, why?” asked Spike

“There was a camera near Manestrosity’s lair, apparently when they enhance the audio you say something about silencing him and his accomplices, then the camera fails due to years of being taken care of,” said Saorin

“Of course, there was… anyway…” said Spike as he was about to head in

“Wait! Something is not right here,” said Soarin

“Why?” asked Spike

“The lights are off, my dad should be here by now,” said Soarin

Just then they heard someone walking near them

“Hide!” said Soarin as both he and Spike hide in some bushes

“... WELL I DON’T CARE, I WANT HIM FOUND AND DEALT WITH!!!... so what? He isn’t my son no more… should I remind you that he knows about us?... you better,” Soarin’s father said as he walked by talking on the phone as he entered the mansion

“Hypothesis confirmed, your dad did take your ID to put a bounty on your head,” said Spike

“Then, I… we, better find out who is cashing the bounty, that person might lead us to the next big wig in the organization,” said Soarin

“Well look at you, not even a full day in the force and you have the hunger of a veteran,” said Spike

“Hate is a good motivator,” said Soarin as he run out of the bush and started climbing the wall towards the open window that lead to his old room, Spike following close behind

“Any ideas?” asked Soarin

“It’s your kill, you do you,” said Spike

Soarin thought for a second and then he smiled

“He’s headed for his study, he has no escape,” said Soarin as he and Spike crept toward the study, stopping right outside the door

“I’m getting tired of this, why is it that those idiots can’t do their bloody job? And even with all of the new recruits they still want more and more, I teach them how to fight, not how to think, they should know how to do that by now,” Hurricane said as he looked out the window

“Show time,” Soarin said as he crept into the study

“Sigh… I better get out there, there is no way those idiots are finding Sebastian, and even if they did, they’d all get killed, he is the best of my pawns… such a waste…” Hurricane said as he turned around, and his soul almost left his body

“Hello, Father,” Soarin said, and without another word, he used his new weapon to stab his father right in the heart

“y-YOU…” Hurricane said as Soarin helped him fall to the floor

“It ends father,” said Soarin said as he removed his mask

“I… Should’ve known, you’d return…” said Hurricane

“And not alone,” said Spike as he walked into the picture

The moment Hurricane’s eyes landed on Spike, a look of pure horror appeared

“Y-you… this can’t be, you’re dead,” said Hurricane

“Turns out, you can’t even kill someone properly,” said Spike

“Father, why? Really?” said Soarin as he looked at his father

“Because… it was my destiny to rule Cloudsdale… our ancestors founded Cloudsdale, but we were forced out of reign 2 generations ago,” said Hurricane

“That’a round the time of the genocide,” said Spike

“Were we involved in such a thing?” asked soarin

“No… our family was innocent but did nothing to help or stop it,” said Hurricane

Soarin and Spike looked at each other

“All in all… I’m proud of you son… it takes real courage to come back from nothing, and still have the clarity of mind to stab someone while looking into their eyes… I raised you well,” said Hurricane

“I am NOTHING like you,” said Soarin

“I know… you’re better,” Hurricane said as he died

“May God forgive your sins,” said Soarin as he stood up

“What now?” asked Spike

“We look for clues,” said Soarin as he started to look around the room

After a few minutes of looking around, Soarin found something

“Hey, look, a safe,” said Soarin

“You know the combination?” asked Spike

“No… but being my father… 8…6…9…2, voila,” said Soarin

“Are those numbers important?” asked Spike

“Nope… my dad was never good at remembering numbers and passwords, usually I had to be the one to help him, so, he decided to use the same number code for everything,” said Soarin as he opened the safe and started to read the documents

“Same code? You don’t say,” said Spike as he grabbed Hurricane’s phone and unlocked it

“WHAT THE FUCK?!!” said Soarin

“What?” asked Spike

“That explains it, my mother’s behavior,” said Soarin

“I’m not following,” said Spike

“She’s under a spell, my mother would’ve never accepted my father’s actions, not to mention, she’s been acting weird for a while now, come!” said Soarin as he ran out followed by Spike

After a few seconds, Soarin kicked in the door to his parent's room and found his mom sitting like a statue on a chair in the center of the room

“Ok, that is just unnerving,” said Spike

“She’s being controlled by the jewelry,” Soarin said as he handed the paper over to Spike

“Asharaf diamonds, you’re right,” said Spike as he walked over to Soarin’s mother

“Is she going to be ok?” asked Soarin

“Yeah, these diamonds only make you act like a puppet… however, explaining this to your mother once she wakes up from the spell, THAT will be the tricky part,” said Spike as he placed his hands over the bracelets and used his fire to melt them down, then he quickly grabbed the necklace and ripped it off Soarin’s mother’s neck.

Then, all of a sudden, she jumped up and screamed

“YOU WON’T GET AWAY WITH THIS HOWARD!~ Did I miss something?” asked Soarin’s mother, seeing Spike, the jewelry, and her son “Sebastian, what is going on here?... and were is your father?” she asked

“Dead,” Soarin said

“What?!!” she said in surprise

Soarin then explained everything to his mother

“I see, so you are the famous Humdrum… thank you for your sacrifice, it takes courage to do such a thing,” she said as she hugged Spike

“It’s ok,” said Spike uncomfortably

“By the way, did your father really make you homeless?” she asked

“Yes, but Spike helped me,” said Soarin

“I see, once again, thank you,” she said

“No problem,” said Spike as he continued to check Hurricane’s phone

“So, what do we do about father?” asked Soarin

“To hell with him… but I am going to have to hire someone to clean the blood

“Oh, I forgot to mention, the daggers are Spirit weapons, there is no body injury, if you take him to the coroner’s he’ll say it was a heart attack,” said Spike still scrolling on the phone

“How convenient,” said Soarin’s mother

“Ms. Thunderstrike, do you know someone called Frederick Rowen?” asked Spike

“Filthy Rich, yeah,” she said

“Were you guys close?” asked Spike

“Nah, my ex-husband and him were,” she said

“What about, Felipe Medina… got you,” said Spike

“What?“ asked Soarin

“Felipe Medina, aka Flim,” said Spike

“The leader of the Merchants,” said Soarin

“Correcto, now we know who your dad was working with, and who is trying to cash in your bounty,” said Spike

“BOUNTY!!!” said his mom

“Part of his plan to tie loose ends,” said Soarin

“WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THAT MAN?!” she screamed

“A Godfather-wannabe with a God complex,” said Spike

“Took the words out of my mouth,” said Soarin

“Anyway, I’d better get things ready for the funeral, appearances must be kept,” Soarin’s mother said as she left the room to call the Coroner’s office

“We have our next targets,” said Spike

“Hold it, dude, we can’t go against the merchants alone, we need help… why don’t go talk with your old league-mates? I mean, Applejack-SORRY Mare-velous has entered a personal war with the Merchants and the other girls would be more than happy to help,” said Soarin

“Are you being dumb, or did the adrenaline go to your head?” asked Spike

“No, why?” asked Soarin

“Soarin, I. AM. DEAD… not to mention, have you seen all of the things the girls accomplished after my death, they’re fame skyrocketed… Zapp joined the Wonderbolts, Fili is Equestria’s best party planner, Mare’s farm’s worth grew 20x what it was, and Radiance now has a world-renowned boutique, not to mention, their band is doing well as well,” said Spike

“You’ve kept tabs on them, have you,” said Soarin

“News,” said Spike

“Dude, after you died, they were a mess, they didn’t even attend school for a month, and they all didn’t know what to do… they all suffered terribly…, especially Radiance,” said Soarin

Spike turned to look at him

“She was so devastated by your death… she was on suicide watch for 6 months,” said Soarin

“She… tried to commit suicide?” asked Spike

“Yeah, she chugged down a lot of pills, she was almost dead when Rager found her, she was in your room in their base, surrounded by your pictures,” said Soarin

“Why? Guilt?” asked Spike

“No… she… I don’t know,” said Soarin

“Doesn’t matter, I can’t go back,” said Spike

“Fine… let me think of something else… by the way, can you… help me with another issue,” Soarin said catching Spike’s attention.

SOMEWHERE ELSE IN TOWN

“ANYTHING?” asked Cloudchaser as Flitter entered her house

“No, still nothing,” Flitter said as she changed into a normal attire

“DAMN IT! If we don’t find him soon, he might…” said Cloudchaser

“Don’t say it,” Soarin is strong, and he knows how to survive,” said Flitter

“You’re right… let’s have hope,” said Cloudchaser

Just then, the doorbell rang

“I wonder who could that be so late at night,” said Flitter as she walked towards the door

But when the 2 of them opened the door, they felt time stop.

There standing before them, was Soarin

“H-hi girls, sorry I made you worry,” said Soarin as he was tackled into hugs by the girls

“YOU’RE ALIVE!!!” they screamed

“Yeah, I am,” said Soarin

“What happened?” asked Cloudchaser

“Well…” Soarin explained everything to them

“Seriously? Do you think we’re dumb?” said Flitter getting angry

“Yeah, saying that Humdrum is alive, what is wrong with you,” said Cloudchaser

“He isn’t lying,” said Spike as he walked up and removed his mask

“H-humdrum?” they both said

“Yeah…” was all he could say before he was also tackled into a hug

“How?” asked Flitter

Spike then re-explained his survival and why he was here

“Well, if you need our help, count as in,” said Cloudchaser

“Yeah, as former members of S.T.I.G.M.A. we have your backs,” said Flitters

“Thank for the offer… say, do you 2 still have the phones we used to communicate?” asked Spike

“Yeah, we even have yours,” said Cloudchaser as she ran in and grabbed it

“How?” asked Spike

“I stoled it from Discord’s Humdrum museum, couldn’t risk it,” said Soarin

“Soarin, I have an idea for the help in this case,” said Spike as he turned to look at Soarin and then noticed the looks the girls were giving Soarin

“Really? What is it?” asked Soarin

“We’ll talk tomorrow, it seems you have more present matters to take care of currently,” said Spike

“What?” said Soarin as he looked at Spike leave

“Have fun tonight you guys,” said Spike as he disappeared into thin air

“The fuck is he talking… about,” Soarin said as he turned and saw the girls looking at him “oh,” was all he could say before Cloudchaser and Flitter pulled him into their house.