White Shadows

My eye focused down on one pony. He was just standing there, blabbing away at how he was going to strike down Princess Celestia. It was all I could do, not to stab him through his worthless little head. My blade shimmered darkly in the moonlight, as I slowly sulked across the rooftops of the pit. Hot steam exploded around me, dousing my mask in hot, droplets of water. The moonlight reflected perfectly, a massive round circle in the sky. I teleported to the other side of the rooftops, and perched above the group again.

There were six of them. All six of them conspirators with the Equine Spy Master. While Celestia had said that I had the rest of the week off, there were still a few jobs that would usually take less than an hour to complete, and this was no excuse. Quick and clean. Hell, murders happened in the pit all the time, not like this was any type of occasion. Except this time, no one was going to find the bodies of both fighters.

A small, white, Pegasus mare with deep sunken eyes, probably from abusing Rush, walked off, probably to abuse, well, Rush. Rush was the main drug in the pit, and if you didn’t do it, well, you were lucky. Probably half the fuckers in the group were high on it.

I followed her via rooftop, until she stopped at a small dark alley. She pulled out a small inhaler, probably filled with magic, rush filled water, and lit the bottom with a lighter. The took two puffs, and then sighed loudly. I jumped down, silently walking up to her, taking her moment of euphoria to strike her down. With one single slash, she had no longer had a windpipe to breathe through.

One down, 5 to go.

I climbed to the rooftops again, using the darkness to mask my movement. I moved back to where most of the group was, perching on a lower building this time. The courtyard they stood in was a rundown, old marble area between some of the low income straw houses. A small statue of Celestia sat in the middle, its head cut off and replaced by a bloody dragon penis (which looked more like a purple, split tongue, than an actual penis). Graffiti and blood covered the place, and guns sat everywhere. It was a wonder why the military hadn’t busted in and shut this thing down quicker than a fucking light.

As I surveyed the area, I heard a rattling next to me. A small window opened, and out popped the head of a young, grey colt. He looked at me with wide eyes. I probably looked pretty menacing, with my one eyed mask, my blood splattered trench coat and suit. I simple held a hoof to my pursed lips, making the shhh noise, before teleporting away. The colt went back inside carefully, and I smiled. Hopefully, he wouldn’t witness the massacre below in a few moments.

I dropped down, avoiding the bright street lights, and moved closer to the group.

“Hey, where’s Daisy? It doesn’t take that long to burn some Rush,” Said a hulking, brick colored earthpony.

“Lemme go check on her. Maybe I’ll get lucky,” Said a nasally voice, belonging to a skinny looking unicorn, his glasses practically falling off his face.

“I don’t think that will be of need, gentlemen,” I said, in my still strong Equine voice

The group looked me over silently, and then the leader, a fat looking black Pegasus scoffed.

“You part of the spy agency, buddy?” He asked.

Good. They think I’m one of their contacts.

“Yeah, and the boss told me to send you his regards,” I said, before pulling out my flintlock pistol.

I fired a single shot, sending the .68 caliber lead ball tunneling through the skinny unicorn. I dropped the gun, pulling my blade out of its sheathe. My enemies pulled out their flintlocks, and fired at me, but not before I could teleport behind the large earthpony. He turned, delivering a heavy hammer blow to my ribs. I could feel the pressure of the blow, nearly breaking my ribs. I stumbled backwards, realizing that head on combat with this brute would be next to impossible. I may be strong, and I may have powers, but I’m not the greatest fighter ever.

I activated my focus, and dashed through the hulking earthpony, cutting multiple arteries and veins as I slashed furiously at his throat and body. Within seconds he bled out, and I was left with three. One cloaked enemy, and two other rush abusing ponies. I pulled out my throwing stars, and launched them at the two abusers, seeing as how the cloaked pony seemed more dangerous. He, or she, just stood there, its black robes and hood covering its head, watching as one of my throwing stars landed straight into the throat of one of the abusers. The other had reloaded his flintlock by now, and was aiming for me. I quickly teleported behind him, and jammed my blade through his skull.

I turned towards the cloaked pony, who I was sure was a mare. She walked like one, and the curves around her body showed her to either be a mare, or a very feminine and under developed colt. She drew her own blade, and we circled eachother, both of us faceless. I lunged at her, and she parried quickly, delivering a quick jab with her Equinian Zealot blade. It glanced off the metal plates inside my coat, and I delivered a slash. She jumped out of the way, delivering a hard kick to my mask. I could feel a tooth come loose somewhere in my mouth.

I jumped at her once again, slashing her lower leg. Her pauldrons protected it for the most part, but blood gushed out of the miniscule open wound. She recoiled, and breathed in sharply, as the blade left her skin. She jumped back, then savagely delivered a slice across my face. The blade went through the mask, and cut into the skin barely, leaving a small sliver of blood slowly coming out of my mask.

I know that attack…

It was very common in the explorers guild. A savage blow followed by some weak jabs. Since I hardly ever used the more heavy blades, and stuck with knives and bladed rapiers, I never learned it. I personally saw it as worthless, but hell, it could do some damage.

I jumped out of the way of her next attack, and teleported behind her. She turned around, and hesitated out of fear. I simply kicked her back, slamming her into the small pillar inside the courtyard. He hood fell down, and my eyes went wide with surprise.

“Diamond?”

The white mare stood up, spitting blood from her mouth. Her eyes were sunken, and she looked 10 times worse than when I had left her. I sheathed my blade, and ran over to her, pulling out a bandage.

“I’m so sorry, Diamond. If I would ha-.” Diamond cut me off, putting a hoof to my face. She spit up a little blood.

“I should be the one saying sorry. I guess I kinda betrayed ya,” Diamond said, slumping forward. “I think you broke a rib.”

“What the fuck are you doing with these guys?” I asked, and she just grinned.

“I go where work pays the most, Steam. You should know that,” Said Diamond, and I shook my head.

“You’re working for Equine? What the fuck, Diamond!?” I asked angrily. I felt betrayed. Hurt. Like my oldest friend had just gotten together with my girlfriend and banged her brains out.

I helped her out, the clipped her upside the head halfheartedly. She gave me a sad smile, and cringed.

“Yeah, you broke one of my ribs,” She said, and I picked her up.

“Guess we better get you to the castle,” I said silently, as we walked towards the massive, marble towers in the moonlight.

“So, you’re telling me she was contracting for the Equine Spymaster?”

“Yes, your highness. She’s also worked for you on many occasions, before the war started up.”

I sat at the table with our own Spymaster, an icepack over my brow. Turns out Diamond kicks a lot harder than I expected. My brow had been split, and the bridge of my snout had been broken. If it weren’t for my advanced regeneration, I would be having some serious facial issues right about now. But even regeneration couldn’t stop the hammer wound. My ribs pulsed with every breathe, and I was beginning to think that I had broken my ribs as well.

“So, what are you saying we should do, Arden?” Asked Celestia, and the Spymaster looked at me.

“She’s a threat to our nation, she could be a sleeper agent! And plus, from the way Shadow looks,” Arden gestured at my now weaker appearance. It was true, I was slowly getting weaker. I hadn’t done anything too terrible in a while, and I was beginning to feel much weaker. “He could use a evil deed right about now.”

“What are you saying Spymaster? Kill her?” I asked, and he nodded.

“She is a direct threat, Shadow. You should really think on it.”

Do it… survival of the fittest. You won’t be prepared for the oncoming fight if you don’t kill her…

But she’s your friend. Friends look out for one another, no matter what.

So, here I was about to make a decision. Last time, I fucked up royally, costing Sinner his life. Now, I could either kill Diamond, and become stronger, or let her live, and grow ever more weak.

“Well? We’re waiting,” Said Arden.