//-------------------------------------------------------// A Change of Faith -by Npawesome- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1 A Change of Faith Spark, the only colt in Manehattan to have Batlike pegesus wings.  Spark loved his wings but he was always teased for the way they looked by the other school ponies.  His mother and father soon took him in to home schooling.  It was better for Spark because this way he could concentrate without trying to hide the wings he loved dearly.  Although, the school fillies teasing him was not the only reason his parents made him stay inside most of the time.  On a sunny day in Manehattan, Spark was 5 years old at the time.  Spark's mother took him to the park to try and make friends with the other ponies when out of the sky came a giant red scaly fire breathing dragon.  Screams were heard throughout the city while the dragon was swooping down on the park.  "Mommy what's that thing?"  Spark yelled to his mother who had already scooped spark up and was galloping as fast as she could to their house.  "Don't look back sweetie!  He is just being mean and we need to leave!" she shouted.  Later that day when everypony was ordered into the shelter, they awaited the news about the dragon.  "the Wonderbolts were called to Manehattan today to get rid of a terrible dragon who was turning the city to ashes." spark's father read aloud as he was skipping through the newspaper.  Ever since then, the family was scared to be outside for too long.  "Mommy I wanna go outside and play with the other fillies!" cried an upset Spark.  "Why don't you just go play with your toys sweetie?" she replied.  "My toys are boring!  I want new ones!" "Well it has been a long time since we got you a new toy hasn't it?"   Later that day spark's father went shopping for a new toy for Spark. "This toy blaster should do the trick." He said after picking up a toy gun that shot rubber darts.  Spark was overjoyed to see what new toy he had gotten from his father.  "Cool!" He yelled after ripping open the box to play with his new toy.  Little did his parents know that they had just given spark a new best friend. //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Ever since his father had given him the little toy gun he had been shooting everything in sight and he did shoot everything!  Although his mother wasn't sure that buying guns for her son was the right thing to do, she started to notice his accuracy improve with it such as shooting her right between the eyes with the rubber darts.  "Maybe we should get him into a competition for it?  It seems like his thing."  His mom said as her and her husband were talking that night.  "There is one downtown this weekend.  Maybe we can take him there." Spark had been excited about it ever since his mom hanwhen the d told him.  He also practiced 3 hours a day hoping to improve on his accuracy which he was already very good at.  That weekend at the competition he was given a BB gun to shoot with.  Although he had never used a BB gun before in his life.  It was Sparks turn to shoot.  He crept up to the front of everypony else and loaded the gun the way the instructors taught them.  He aimed down the iron sights of the gun. Crack He along with everypony else heard it.  The shot from the gun sent the pellet flying at the target.  And with a thud, it pierced the target.  He couldn't see how he did yet because the referee ponies needed to examine each target and see who hit it closest to the middle.  All the contestants were lined up when they brought the targets out. The announcer started counting down from 8th place.  The odds were not in his favor as he heard his name called for 5th place.  "You did awesome Sparksy!"  Yelled his mother encouragingly.  "I know I did good, but I could have done better." he said to his parents.  "Honey!"  His mother shouted.  "Look at your flank!" And that was when he saw it.  His cutie mark had appeared!  In the shape of a target.  "Yay my cutie mark is here!"  He shouted while jumping up and down.  "I'm so proud of you son!" his father kept telling him that night.  "I know dad!" he kept saying back.  This was one of the best days of Spark's young life.  It wouldn't be like this for a long time. It had been years.  Years since the dragon encounter.  Years since the competition where he got his cutie mark.  Years since his parents death that plagued his life.  He stared down at his gun.  "Only way out." he said to himself while picking up the small Glock handgun.  Spark aimed the gun at his throat, ready to pull the trigger, when he heard a knock on his apartment door.  "If it's that damn landlord I'm taking him with me." he opened his door and there he saw a pony dressed in all black holding a large knife in his hoof.  Before Spark could react the stranger made a thrust with the knife that stabbed Spark right in his chest.  Spark slowly fell to his knees, the knife still in his chest.  He heard a few gunshots and then blacked out. When Spark awoke he was in a black room and he could barely see anything.  He tried to move but he was strapped down to the bed he was on.  "Oh you're awake?" Came a voice from behind him.  "Good.  That means you actually aren't dead."  The voice sounded like a mare.  "Who are you?  What do you want with me?  Why did you stab me?" he questioned.  "Wasn't me.  It was the dread.  The only reason they ever have for killing anyone is because you killed one of their former members." "I remember that.  It was one of my routine assassinations." Spark had taken up the assassin life style two years after his parents died.  'I needed money, I was desperate.' he thought to himself.  "Tell me how that assassination exactly went down." The mare said. It was a gloomy day in Manehattan much like always.  Spark was in his apartment room cleaning his favorite rifle when the phone rang.  "Who the hell could that be." Spark said moving to pick up the phone. "Hello?" "Spark, It's me." It was Night fury, he handed out all the assassination contracts. "Got a new one for me I see." Spark said.  "Yeah, and he's worth a pretty penny he is." Night said. "Alright I'll take the contract.  Where will he be next?" "He's in Manehattan, that's why I chose you. He will be at the docks at 8 AM tomorrow.  Oh and one more thing," He added with a dangerous tone in his voice.  "You mess this up and you'll be next." he said right before he hung up.  Spark crossed his room and looked out the window at the dark grey sky. "Business as usual." Spark waited at the docks all night with his rifle loaded and ready to fire.  He expected escorts and brought his SCAR-L as backup just in case.  An hour had passed when Spark saw a small black car driving towards the dock. He could make out two ponies in the front seats.  The car stopped and he could see a pony walking up to the driver side window. "Were you followed?" He asked the driver. "No, we are good but we need to make this fast."  Spark suddenly saw the target step out of the back of the car and start walking into the dock overseer's office building. "Now or never, time to take the shot." He said to himself.  In an instant, he pulled the trigger and the tall stallion was on the ground bleeding out from a direct shot to the head. "Up there!" shouted one of the escorts.  Spark pulled out his SCAR-L and took out one of the escorts in less than 3 seconds.  The others had pulled out their guns by the time Spark had gotten the automatic rifle out. "Shoot him!" the large one shouted.  A fierce firefight ensued but Spark had left there alive like he always does.  He loaded the stallion's body into his truck and drove off to the meeting point to deliver the body. "You sound like quite the sharpshooter." the mare said after hearing what had happened. "Well it is my special talent." Spark said indicating the mark on his flank. "Let's get you out of this thing and brief you on what's happening."