A better class of monster
Hey there, my name’s Deadshot and I kill people for a living.
Now that we have that out of the way…wait, is that not enough? I have to explain myself?
Fine!
My real name isn’t Deadshot of course, that would be completely ridiculous. I mean could you imagine announcing that you had named your child Deadshot? You would probably end up giving some dear, caring relative (probably a mother or grandmother) a heart attack. No. I took the name Deadshot a few years back as a protective measure for those few people I have left that I care about. I figured that if people didn’t know my name, they might have some trouble threatening my loved ones. Oh go ahead and laugh if you must…the unstoppable assassin Deadshot, tearing up over a few murdered friends. Oh woe is he!
Did I mention the assassin thing? Yes? Oh good.
Well as a young man I found I was quite gifted both academically and physically. My grades had been far above those of my classmates and whilst I couldn’t exactly be called godlike in terms of physical status I was no wimp. Tall and lean as a spear, my thin, flexible arms held a surprising amount of strength which allowed me to easily deal with the rather negative ‘attention’ that a straight A student seems to attract. The one thing that God had not seen gracious enough to gift me with was motivation. I never be bothered to try at anything with even half of my potential. Throughout my entire school life the only time I ever felt alive was when I was beating up bullies.
So that’s what I continued to do.
Eventually tales of my bully-hunting spread and I began to be regarded as some sort of hero. A noble defender of the weak and the downtrodden.
I got a good laugh out of that.
You see it wasn’t just beating up bullies that made me feel alive. It was any act of violence on my fellow human beings. I eventually began to attack those who considered me to be their shield against bullies. I was no monster hunter, I was just a better class of monster.
After I had finished school I went into higher education but ended up dropping out of that. Far too boring, not enough violence. I entered some boxing tournaments but ended up quickly getting bored of that as well. Too many rules on how I could and could not hurt people. It grew so tiresome. I then went into underground fighting, quickly rising through the ranks and becoming a well respected fighter.
It was there that I first killed a man.
At this point in my life I had begun to refine my fighting technique. The initial punches and kicks I had used as the false defender of the weak whilst in school no longer gave me any joy. They no longer excited that rush within me that I had first felt. My years of fighting, combined with the education given to me by all too proficient school system, meant that I had a very good grasp of human anatomy. I knew exactly where to strike to put a man down for the count. I began to get flamboyant in my matches, boasting that I would take out the enemy with a single hit, or with both hands tied behind my back, or using only one finger.
Damn I was good.
A month after these charades began I received a challenge from a very famous underground fighter. A Russian who simply known as Boris. A man of immense stature, a mountain that walked, he was nearly twice my height and at least three times my weight. As I stepped into the ring with him I knew there would be no showing off now. Boris could snap me like a twig and, despite my love of violence, I had no intention of dying just yet. I began the match by dancing around the edge of the mesh cage that the any honourable fighter would be hesitant to call a ring. To those of us with less uptight morals it was a home away from home, and I knew it well. Keeping in mind the exact position of myself in relation to both Boris and the walls of the cage I made use of my superior agility and the reach of my legs. Boris was clearly not used to kicks. Whilst he was nearly twice my height much of that height was centred in his torso and shoulders. His legs, whilst well muscled, probably couldn’t handle anything more strenuous than holding up that immense body. His fists dented the walls of the cage, occasionally ripping through the steel wire like it was string, and before long the once sturdy cage closely resembled Swiss cheese. Do not think this meant Boris was slow though. He moved his body with an economy of effort that I had to admire and his fighting technique was almost perfect. Almost.
I begun my counter-attack when I saw a flash of rage fire behind Boris’ steely pupils. Well finally! I thought he would never get mad. I ducked beneath the wild right hook he had just thrown and danced around the left uppercut he used as a defence. I drew in a breath to steady myself and unleashed my perfect technique. Precise blows rained down on Boris’ overgrown body. A devastating punch to the muscles in each arm, causing them to temporarily cease up. Next a finger strike to the eyes, which caused Boris to stumble back, trying to defend his vision. Merely a distraction. I had no intention of blinding him I just wanted him to expose his greatest weakness. His neck. A grin threatened to tear apart my face as a malicious glint entered my eyes. My hand shot forward, swift as a snake, fingers clamping on that oh so soft skin. I clenched my hand and I felt my fingers break the skin. The smell of blood threatened to overwhelm me and I almost lost it right there, but I restrained myself. I wanted, no, I needed this to last! My fingers clenched until I could feel them touching inside of the man’s throat and I looked into his eyes and could see the pain I was causing and the mercy he so dearly wanted from me. Mercy was something I didn’t feel like giving. I looked deep into his eyes, into his very soul perhaps (but that borders on the philosophical) and slowly ripped out his throat. The smell of blood and death rose into my nose and my mind as his body fell to the floor.
Around the ring the spectators stared in shock. Sure they were used to deaths happening in the cage but that had been something else. That was clearly no accident. That was barbaric. Sadistic. Murder.
Needless to say my fighting career took a downward spiral after that. It not really surprising that no one wants to get into the ring with a mad man. I cared not. I had found a new vocation. A new careers.
A career in death
And I was so very good at it.
The morally superior side of the coin
My first few assassinations were amateur and completely unsatisfying.
I had used my old underground fighting contacts to purchase a weapon. An old service revolver. Hardly satisfying or elegant, but effective and very loud. I affectionately named it Boris. The two had so much in common. My first job came from a surprising source. A young man who wanted his grandfather killed for his inheritance. He was nothing special, a normal everyday bloke that you wouldnt look at twice and, aside from the whole homicide business, wasn't very remarkable. Never judge a book by it's cover, it might just be a horror story. the job was a piece of cake really. I walked up to the old man’s rundown apartment in a block of identical apartments in one of the worse parts of town. As I waited for the old duffer to answer I ideally wondered what possible inheritance this poor bastard would be able to pass on. The people in this part of town were not famed for their wealth. The door creaked open and I heard a dry old voice call out:
“who is it?”
I raised Boris to point at a withered prune of a face a smiled kindly at the old man.
“G’day!” I said merrily as I pulled the trigger and splattered his brains all over the wall.
For a moment the smile stayed on my face, but it slowly turned into a frown of confusion. Then the bared teeth of rage. Where was the satisfaction?! Where was the rush?! I looked down at the gun in my hand and slowly began to realise. It was too easy. Too simple. How was I supposed to enjoy that. In a fit of rage I threw the gun of the apartment block and stalked away.
For my next few missions I was much smarter. I went with knives hidden on my person. A far more elegant weapon, and importantly, far more satisfactory than Boris had ever been. I began to make a name for myself in the criminal community. A knife-wielding mad man who would take any job, so long as it was interesting.
It was then that I met him. The man who I would proudly call my rival, my constant source of joy and rage and perhaps the only man who truly understands me in this world.
Warden.
I had heard of him before of course. In my line of work it is absolutely necessary to know your enemy but it never even crossed my mind that he would be such an enjoyable enemy. He was a bodyguard you see. The natural enemy of the assassin. We were as opposite as it was possible for two people to be. Where I was tall, he was stout. Where I was lean, he was burly. Where I was a bloodthirsty madman masquerading as an assassin, he was a guardian angel masquerading as a bodyguard. And a damn good one at that.
He was the perfect sparring partner for me. Not only did he make every kill a challenge but he also helped me to improve myself. There was a couple of times that he almost got me actually. Five years ago in Brussels is a good example, heh, I only managed to escape by throwing myself of a building. Broke both my legs and had to crawl to a manhole cover. Let me tell you guys, you do not want to have to crawl through three miles of European sewers with two shattered legs. Its not pleasant.
Soon after meeting Warden I began to send notes to my targets. A simple piece of paper would be found in an intimate place. A top secret document, the desk of their drawer, their heavily secured vault…in-between the pages of their child’s favourite book. It was a simple note, not a word on it, just a picture of a skull crossed by daggers with a crosshair over it. Tacky I know but it got the job done. It was at this point that the media decided to christen me Deadshot. That was a new low. Made me sound like a comic villain. I killed the people who came up with it of course but that just made it worse. All of the headlines became.
“Deadshot strikes again!”
Or
“is no one safe?!”
Or, my personal favourite
“Massacre of Biblical Proportions!
Deadshot suspected”
Eventually I just decided to accept the name and work with it. Anyway back to my original purpose. Sorry if I keep going off on a tangent here guys, you really must try and keep me on track. The true purpose behind the notes was that whenever my next victim saw the note they would immediately hire Warden and he, being the noble fool that he was, would immediately rush to protect them. And with him came the promise of challenge.
“Thanks for listening you guys, I really needed to get that off my chest. I truly appreciate you staying with me for all that”
The man known as Deadshot looks around the room.
“Well I guess your right there, you didn’t have much choice in the matter did you?”
The corpses around him stare back with their accusing eyes. Their mouths pulled up into morbid grins by the decay already beginning to claim their bodies.
“Your not very good conversationalists are you?”
At this point the door smashes apart to reveal a bear of a man. He can barely fit through the doorway as he rushes in to take stock of the horrible scene in front of him. Warden.
“Where have you been young man! You have kept all your new friends waiting” Deadshot said in his best old woman voice, his manic grin threatening to put the corpses to shame.
The clopping of hooves was the only sound that accompanied Princess Celestia as she trotted swiftly towards her throne room. She had been many things in her life. She had been loved and adored by everypony around her. She had risen to become the ruling force of all of Equestria, along with her sister Luna. However it had been over a thousand years since she had last felt this feeling.
Fear.
It penetrated every thought she tried to have. Every idea or plan she tried to form in her head was ripped to pieces by this cold emotion that sent the immortal alicorn to shivers. It had been three weeks since the guards had found the message. It had been written in blood on the wall of the palace. Its statement bold and shocking.
“The sun will fall!” It declared “and so shall you!”
Her Royal Guards had immediately sealed off the scene and cleaned away the blood to ensure that panic did not spread among the populace. The guards assured her that they had everything under control and they would soon catch the mad pony who wanted to harm her.
However she was not reassured by this. She did not doubt the loyalty or intelligence of her guards, but rather their lack of experience. It had been generations since any sort of trouble had been brought to Equestria and her guards weren’t used to dealing with anything other than slightly disobedient or overly loving “fanatical” ponies.
No, for this she needed outside help.
It was for that reason that she had called upon her most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends to come to the palace with the most powerful magical devices Equestria had ever known. The Elements of Harmony. It was her hope that the power of these artefacts, combined with her own magic, would be enough to bring a certain pony back to their land. A pony of great and mysterious power. A pony called The Doctor. The princess shivered just to think about him. The last time they had met he had seemed cheerful enough, galloping around with childlike glee, but she had not survived a thousand years as ruler of Equestria without understanding people. There was a darkness in The Doctor. A darkness that terrified her to her very core. She hoped that he would be able to help though. She hoped he would come.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the clash of hooves on marble as the two Royal Guards stationed outside the throne room jumped to attention.
“My princess, you student and her friends have arrived. They await your pleasure in the throne room” the guard on the left called out woodenly. Celestia smiled at them, causing them to bow their heads and blush. She then walked past them, opening the door with her magic.
Inside stood six ponies gathered around in a circle, each one wearing a glittering jewel around their necks, except for a purple unicorn who wore a large, elaborate crown into which was set her own jewel.
“My faithful student, it is so good to see you again” Celestia said, her voice full of relief. Since the death threat had been found she had been worried that whoever was behind it would attack the young mare and her friends in an attempt to hurt her.
Celestia stood in the doorway stunned as she found her self swamped by mares, each one with tears in their eyes, each one hugging her close. When they finally stepped back each one began babbling at the same time.
“Princess, I’m so glad you alright!” Twilight cried, her voice cracking with emotion.
“The guards told us about what had happened, are you okay?”
“Don’t worry about that mean mad pony, princess, we’ll stop him!” Rainbow Dash said as she punched the air a couple of times, almost as if it was the traitor.
“Aye, princess, I reckon we’ll catch this here pony and show him what we do tah’ ponies who threatin’ our friends” Applejack’s eyes were like steel and her voice was low. Nopony, and that means Nopony, threatens her friends.
“Oh it must have been horrible for you dear, to be threatened in such a brutish fashion!”
“When I heard the news I was soooo sad! Who would want to hurt the princess! But then I was like…pinkie, you know what you have to do, you have to throw her a PARTY! Show that mean old mister bad-pony that he can’t get us down!”
“I’m…uh….I’m glad your okay, princess”
“I’m fine, my little ponies, thank you for your concern” Celestia smiled down at them “but the guards didn’t tell you everything, I suspected there was more behind this threat than rebellious ponies. I have felt something enter this world, something old and terrible. Something with dark intentions for ponies everywhere. I do not know what it is, but I can feel it’s hatred of everything I hold dear and…it scares me”
The six friends stared at their princess in shock, they had never seen her like this. She had always seemed so level headed and in control of all her surroundings.
“That is why I have called you here, my little ponies, I intend to call for help. I intend to call…The Doctor”
The friends looked at each other, their gaze serious, before turning this combined look on their princess, concern clear in their eyes. Things must be very bad, and the princess must be very scared indeed, if she was going to try and bring The Doctor back to Equestria. His last visit had nearly doomed the entire land and the princess had demanded that he leave her land and her subjects in peace, he was far too dangerous.
“…are you sure about this princess?” Twilight asked “last time…well we all know about last time. Anyway there is no guarantee he will even show up, he promised never to return”
“I know, my student, but I have to try something, otherwise I fear all of Equestria will be in danger. Now, the forces needed to summon The Doctor back here will massive, therefore I will require your assistance for this spell. I will need you to channel the power of the Elements of Harmony into me so that I can power the spell. Can you do this for me, my little ponies?”
“Of course, princess” Twilight responded immediately “Girls. Formation!”
At her command the other Element Bearers took their positions around Twilight amd began to focus on their Element.
“Are you ready, princess?”
“Of course Twilight, you may begin”
Twilight looked around at her closest friends, each one drawing upon the power of their Element, and did the same with hers. She instantly felt an incredible peace overtake her body as her mind expanded and power flowed into her. She could feel…everything. The beating hearts of everypony for miles around , possibly everypony in Equestria. She could see them all, and the lines that connected them to their friends. That special bond that could never be broken. She saw how strong her bonds were with her friends. Each one connected from her heart to theirs. A glowing thread of pure energy through which she began to draw power. As she felt the strongest traits of her friends enter her soul and power her magic her eyes began to glow. Rainbow Dash’s loyalty, Applejack’s honesty, Rarity’s generosity, Fluttershy’s kindness and Pinkie Pie’s laughter. A rainbow began to coil around the six ponies as they slowly rose up into the air. Twilight began to shape the magic as a potter shapes clay, gently moving her mind over it until it was perfect. When the magic had been shaped to Twilight’s satisfaction she released it to complete it’s purpose. The rainbow of pure energy shot straight up above the six mares, intertwining around itself a few times before it began it’s curving descent.
Directly onto Celestia’s horn.
Celestia was one of the most powerful beings in Equestria, the only beings capable of measuring up to her power was her sister Luna and a few of the older dragons. Her main duty as Princess of the Sun was the raising and lowering of the sun, the movement of this immense celestial orb required a level of magic that could easily split the world in two. Needless to say she was used to dealing with magic of cataclysmic proportions on a daily basis. However this experience with the forces of magic did nothing to prepare her for the power that now flowed into her and threatened to overwhelm her body and her mind. She began to shake as she could feel the magic spilling out of her body, the elemental forces tearing at the very fabric of her existence. She didn’t have time to perfect this spell, she wouldn’t survive long enough to cast this properly. She extended her mind beyond the physical plane and stared into the Void. The darkness that waited on the edge of reality. Her mind screamed the power of magic into this waiting darkness.
“HELP!”
A single thought, with the weight of the most powerful magic in all of creation behind it shot straight into the Void…and scattered it. It only happened for a moment, but that moment was long enough. Celestia could feel the magic reach out and grab something from the world beyond the Void before it swiftly retreated back through the gateway it had made. As the magic brought it’s package across the dimensional border the Void snapped shut behind it and became what it had always been. An impenetrable darkness that lurked on the edge of reality.
Celestia shuddered and collapsed as she felt the magic leave her body. The titanic forces that had split the dimensional barrier and moved the Void, a being that was, by definition, immovable, had nearly ripped her body apart.
“Princess! Oh my gosh! Are you alright?” Twilight was hurrying over to her, completely unharmed. How was that possible? The young unicorn had channelled forces beyond the comprehension on most ponies and she seemed…fine? No she was more than fine. There was a light in her eyes and a shine to her coat. She actually seemed to be in better health after using the Elements than she was before. Celestia struggled to her full height and decided to file this away for examination at a later date.
“I am fine, my student, that spell just exhausted me?”
With the safety and health of her princess assured Twilight turned to the golden mist that hung in the air in front of them. It glittered faintly around the edges as it slowly dissipated.
“Is it him? Is it The Doctor?” Rarity asked as she nervously joined Twilight next to the princess.
A figure flew suddenly out of the mist, sailing high above the heads of the ponies. It crashed heavily into the ground and began to skid down the polished marble floor of the throne room but, just before it impacted with Celestia’s stone throne ,it managed to use it’s backwards momentum to flip itself onto it’s rear…hooves? All seven of the ponies stared at it in amazement, expecting it to fall back onto all four of its unusually shaped hooves, but it had apparently decided to defy these expectations and instead remained standing on its back hooves. A heavy breath and ragged chuckle escaped from its mouth as it began to move it’s limbs into a battle stance.
“Ah don’t reckon that’s The Doctor…” Applejack managed to stutter out, her jaw still hanging slack at the sight of the unusual creature.
Twilight could see that the creature was now dancing from one hoof to the other with it’s front hooves held in some form of battle stance, one limb raised to defend against strikes to the face whilst the other was held in front of it to strike back any opponent that might come close to it. She could also see it’s face, a flat slab of scarred meat with the mouth pulled into a horrid smile. It’s eyes were terrible to look at, Twilight could see the dark thoughts that swirled behind those glassy orbs and they made her shudder. Oh sweet Celestia, what have we brought through to Equestria? She also noticed that those insane eyes were not focused on her and her friends, despite how unusual they must look to the creature, but were focussed intently on something behind her.
She began to turn her head to see what else they had accidentally brought through when it roared past her, a bestial roar on its lips as it rushed the other creature. This second creature appeared to be very different from the first. It was significantly shorter than the first but was at least three times broader than the first, making it look almost like a skeleton by comparison. Twilight and her friends could only look on in amazement as the two creatures began to fight. She could immediately see that this wasn’t like the good natured play-fighting that Applejack and Rainbow Dash sometimes took part in, no, these two being actually seemed to be trying to seriously hurt each other.
The first being had dodged back from the seconds initial rush and had leapt up onto Celestia’s throne, where it began to use it’s elevated position to send vicious kicks at it’s opponents head. The second one blacked these for a time before it appeared to grow too angry to remain on the defensive and threw a vicious punch directly at the first being, who leapt nimbly in the air and landed behind the stone throne. This served as no defence against the second, who simply carried on going, punching straight through the stone back of the ceremonial chair to send the first figure sprawling on his back, the remains of the throne landing on top of him. Twilight just stared in amazement. It just managed to punch through solid stone, what are these things?! As the second figure approached the downed first she saw the first legs swing, connecting solidly with the knee of the second with a sickening crunch. The first figure threw the stone off of itself as if it weighed nothing and rolled backwards onto its feet. The tables had turned as the first now approached the second and swung it’s leg high up into the air, intending to bring it down on the others skull. As the hoof descended Twilight found she could not look away and her breath had caught in her throat. She released an explosive gasp of relief as she saw the second manage to raise a hoof and grasp the others swinging appendage. The second rose to it’s feet with a grunt, the first’s hoof still in it’s grasp. It roared as it threw it’s counterpart across the room to land in front of Twilight and the princess. The second leapt over the broken throne and approached the first as it stumbled to it’s feet.
As their battle resumed, Twilight began to take notice of her surroundings. Her friends were still gaping at the spectacle taking place in front of them and the princess was far too weak to end these creature’s violent antics, but there was someone who could help. The guards. Twilight turned towards the door and her horn lit up as she forced the heavy doors open. With the muffling effect of the door removed the guards could now hear the sound of the fighting in the throne room and immediately rushed inside. Upon seeing their princess in possible danger, and the two strange creatures causing havoc on each other, the two pegasi guards reacted the way they had always been trained. They shot off at the two creatures, their wings extended to full capacity and their hooves held out before them to tackle the creatures. Twilight smiled in relief as the guards perfect attack formation and allowed a hint of smugness to enter her expression. Lets see how well these brutish creatures deal with two fully armoured elite guards. Her expression quickly changed to one of horror as the first figure, without breaking eye contact with his opponent, reached up and grabbed the Pegasus’ neck. It used the flying pony’s forward momentum to turn the graceful flight into a direct collision with the marble floor. The speed with which the guard had been travelling meant that he was knocked out instantly and blood began to ooze from underneath his helmet. The guard charging at the second creature met a similar fate as his charge was interrupted when it’s target grabbed the guard’s helmeted head and rammed it into his knee with a metallic clang. The guard dropped to the floor, mirroring his comrade, with a large dint in his helmet. Neither creature had broken eye contact throughout this brutally efficient destruction of Equestria’s finest. They both just stared at each other, measuring each others movements.
Twilight finally got a chance to look into the second figures eyes, both horrified at its violence yet also curious as to weather it shared the same insanity she had seen in the first’s eyes.
It did not. It had something that could possibly be worse.
The second creature’s eyes were filled with rage. An unstoppable, all-consuming rage that came straight from the depths of its soul. Twilight once again shuddered and looked away from the dark pits.
Then, at some invisible signal, the figures resumed their brutal dance. Blows were thrown and black whilst others managed to land with force that made all the ponies wince, but the figures barely seemed to notice the damage they took, they were far too focused on the complete destruction of their enemy to notice their own injuries. This continued for several minutes and Twilight had begun to notice a certain beauty in their fighting. It wasn’t pretty by any definition of the word but it did have a certain perfection to it. Each figure moved with an economy of effort and an efficiency of movement that allowed them to deal large amounts of damage whilst simultaneously protecting themselves from their opponent. Each figure struggled to gain an advantage over the other, like two dancers who couldn’t decide who should take the lead. Suddenly the second figure fell, it’s leg buckling from when it had been kicked earlier. The first wasted no time making sure his opponent stayed down. It leapt forward and swiftly kicked his fallen foe in the head, and kicked again, and again, and again. It kicked until it was sure the second wouldn’t be able to get back up. Until it was sure it wouldn’t be able to interfere.
Deadshot looked down at the unconscious form of Warden. He could end it here, he could kill the man right now…
But where would the fun in that be?
He looked down at the unusual beings that had rudely attempted to interrupt his fight. They looked a lot like horses except they were significantly smaller and also appeared to have wings and…armour? He looked over at the spectators to his battle. Ah, his loving audience. His adoring crowd. His next meal…
He began to stride swiftly towards them, imagining what he would do to each one. How Warden would find them when he woke up. Deadshot savoured the taste of his opponents imagined despair. It would be glorious!
“STOP!”
That single command froze Deadshot in his tracks, the middle figure, a large white horse with wings and a horn sprouting from it’s head had shouted this at him in a regal, commanding tone. HOW DARE SHE?! No one tells him what to do! No one! Deadshot prepared to take another step forwards, prepared to end this creatures miserable existence, only to find that his body had other ideas. It was refusing to obey him! Him! His own body!
“What have you done!?” he screamed at the creature “YOU BITCH! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”
The creature stared at him, looking slightly shocked, and not just by his vulgar language. Clearly she couldn’t understand why he wasn’t trying to kill her. Deadshot continued trying to escape the bonds his body had placed on him, struggling against the one thing that had served him loyally his whole life. He would kill them all! He would rip them to bits! The large white one would be first to go, then the yellow, winged one, then the purple one with the horn and the glowing eyes! Wait…glowing eyes?
Deadshot gulped as he felt himself lifted off of the ground. He twisted around to stare at what had picked him up. It was Warden. Except it wasn’t quite him. His mouth was open, his jaw slack with a line of saliva flowing out. The most notable difference between this Warden and the demon of rage that had attacked him before was that this Warden’s eyes were glowing a deep purple colour. The same colour as the eyes of the horned horse creature. Deadshot twisted back around to stare at the beast again.
“oh you MOTHERFU-” he began to shout as the creature controlling Warden’s body made it’s host slam him headfirst into the ground with an unhealthy crunch.
As Deadshot blacked out he heard a thump as Warden was once again returned to unconsciousness and his body hit the floor.
