Cross: "We have less than an hour. What's next?"
Alex: "The last person responsible for all of this dies tonight."
Cross: "If we can make it out here, do you think you're ready?"
Alex: "I was made for this."

-Robert Cross and Alex Mercer

"A date?”

“That what I said.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“Nope.”

“…With Fluttershy?”

“Technically with me too, she doesn’t want to go alone. But yes, with Fluttershy.”

“Why the hell would I want to go on a date?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe to meet new people, find a meaningful relationship, fall in love, etc.”

Mercer scoffed. “Absolutely not.”

“Are you sure?”

“Completely.”

The Pegasus pretended to inspect her hoof. “Okay…but I hope you’re a good runner.”

“Why would I need to be a good-” He paused. “…You know, don’t you?”

She snorted, biting her lip to keep from grinning. “Know what?”

“Don’t act stupid with me, Pinkie told you about my promise didn’t she!”

Finally breaking, the smile she had been holding back broke through, and she fell over in a fit of laughter that had her gasping for air before it was over. “Hahaha…I guess Twilight was right about you being smart, Mercer!”

They were standing in the clearing around Town Hall, where Rainbow had caught up to him to talk about this important matter. Apparently Pinkie Promises were a bigger thing around here then he thought.

He groaned. “It hasn’t been three hours, how could she have told you already?”

“It’s Pinkie Pie, ponies who are out of town already know! Anyway, yes, I know about your Pinkie Promise to not hurt any of her friends. And since Fluttershy counts as ‘one of her friends’, you have to agree. Because if you don’t, she’ll cry. And Pinkie will not be happy.”

“Fuck!” Mercer threw his head back and put pressure on his temples with his hooves as he fell on his flank in frustration.

“No cursing either.”

“Fudge!”

“There ya go.”

“Great, first I have to humiliate myself by apologizing to a pony with the emotional maturity of a five year old, now I’m being forced to go on a date with one that has barely said five words to me since I met her!” He scowled at the smirk on Rainbow’s face. “Why do you care so much about helping her get a date anyway?”

“Fluttershy is an old friend. I owe a lot to her. Plus she’s way too shy to ask you out herself and too timid to say no to me when I tell her I’m setting her up with you. Trust me; this is for both of your own goods.” She offered her hoof to him. “What do ya say, stallion? Do we have a deal?”

He glared at her for a moment, wishing for once he could have something good happen to him and not have it instantly followed up with something bad. Karma was really having a field day with him lately.

Sighing, he grabbed her hoof with his own and let her pull him to his feet. “Fine. But I’m not paying for anything. And if I find out this is all just a ploy to try to get your friend laid then I will not be happy.”

“When are you ever?”

“When you’re not around.”

She gasped dramatically. “That hurt my feelings, Mercer. I’m gonna go tell Pinkie Pie!” He shook his head and walked away, ignoring her as she once again started her laughing fit at his expense. When she was finished poking fun at him, she wiped the tears from her eyes and shouted “Don’t forget Mercer! Tonight at 8 o’ clock!” She took a quick pause, then added “And wear something decent! No hoods!”

7:55.

That was the time on the clock tower; Mercer could see it from where he was standing. His “date” was in five minutes. He sighed inwardly. Of all the things he could be doing, like looking for Zecora, or trying to figure out how to infect Rainbow Dash without alerting anyone, or even just waiting for his chance to release Blacklight on an unsuspecting town full of bright, colorful ponies, instead he was being forced to go on a date with a shy yellow Pegasus who couldn’t even look him in the eye without blushing.

“Oh well. It’s not the worst thing, I suppose.” The sound of choking brought his attention back to what he was currently doing. “Oops, sorry about that. Kinda forgot about you.” He relaxed his grip on the Gryphon’s neck he had still been holding, making him gasp as he filled his lungs with the air he had been denied for the better part of the few minutes Mercer had spaced out for.

“Y-You...b-b-bastard!”

“Sticks and stones. Now, why don’t you finish that thought you were having before you’re mortality slipped my mind.” The Gryphon spat in his face, a mixture of saliva and blood from the beating he had been receiving splattering against Mercer’s left cheek. He slowly wiped it off, making a disapproving “tut-tut” sound with his tongue. “…That wasn’t very nice.” Mercer hooked his hoof on the Gryphon’s right wing and forced it open, pushing his head down and shoving his beak into the dirt. “I’ll ask you again. Why do you Gryphon’s keep showing up here? I already told the others; I’m the only predator around here.”

He groaned. “We…know of your misdeeds, pony…” His voice was muffled by the dirt in his mouth. “…The others…myself included…were merely spies. Ever since you killed those three younglings…we have been…watching you.”

“I noticed. Your spies aren’t as stealthy as they think.”

“Do you hold no fear…of the consequences of your actions?”

“Not since I was in high school.”

“You have killed members…of an elite branch of the Gryphon Army…that is an act of war!” He managed to raise his head a few inches to say the last few words before Mercer forced it back down.

“Is that supposed to make me feel bad? Honestly, it’s not the first time I’ve ever caused a war.”

The Gryphon struggled against the grip that held him down. Mercer easily held it fast, twisting his wing as punishment for the attempt. Relaxing his grip again, he waited for his victim to stop grimacing long enough to continue.

“Why are you…so eager to go to war?”

“I’m not at liberty to say. You know the drill; sworn to secrecy and all that.”

“You are…like no pony I have ever heard of…”

Mercer grinned. “No, I imagine not. I’m one of a kind.” He gave the Gryphon’s wing another twist, this time hard enough to produce an audible crack from the joint. “Does anyone know you’re here? I would hate to go through all this trouble of…well, causing trouble without an audience.”

He offered a dry chuckle. “You think yourself…some sort of warrior…don’t you, pony? You have no idea…what awaits you.”

“Aww…is that some sort of threat?”

“No…it is…a promise.” He turned his head to look Mercer in the eye. “You will suffer…more than the rest.”

A loud snap filled the air around them, the Gryphon crying out in pain as Mercer broke his wing. “I hope your friends hiding in the tree over there are getting a good show while it lasts,” He took a moment to enjoy the shock that splayed itself across his face. “Because when the real war starts…” He lowered his voice. “…I’ll be the one making everyone suffer.”

The Gryphon spy wasn’t even able to utter squeak in reply before Mercer grabbed his head and spun it quickly, snapping the vertebrae and silencing him. His body went rigid for a second, then fell limp as the life left his now still form. Mercer backed away a step and turned his head towards the tree the other two spies were hiding in. He switched to thermal vision, instantly seeing their crouched silhouettes against the cold night air. He smirked when they jumped off their perches, spreading their wings and flying off into the distance.

Mercer watched them go, making no move to pursue them. It was his plan, after all, to let them leave. Let them deliver word of the insolent pony defying the treaty set down by Princess Celestia to the leader of the Gryphon Kingdom. Tensions were already high between ponies and Gryphons, this should be just enough to push them over the edge. This war was exactly what he needed. The perfect distraction to give him time to finish what he’d started.

Just like the Gryphon had said, Mercer had indeed been spied upon. When he killed those three fraternity pledges, he hadn’t realized they were being watched themselves as they looked for a pony to steal a tail from. The leaders of the group had been spying on them, making sure they completed their mission so they couldn’t lie about it. After Mercer killed the pledges, the others ran for their lives, heading back to the Gryphon Kingdom and informing the first guard they encountered of the three hatchlings fate. The very next night he had encountered the first in a short line of specially trained Gryphons intent on capturing and interrogating him. They failed, of course, and they each shared the same end as the one before.

Now standing alone in a field with no one else around, sans the lifeless corpse at his feet, Mercer looked back at Ponyville, seeing that the time on the clock tower now read 8:08. He was officially late for his date with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash by almost ten minutes. In any other circumstance, that would have been a good thing. But in all honesty, he was growing tired of having angry ponies on his case constantly. It just seemed like a lot had been giving him the business lately. He was not looking forward to pissing off yet another one.

Tearing his eyes away from the time, he turned his attention to the body of the Gryphon he’d just killed. He needed to dispose of him, or else run the risk of someone finding a dead body in the middle of a field outside of town. Logic dictated he consume it, convert it into that all-too-familiar energy source that essentially powers his entire being, but seeing as how he was going on a date, he decided against it so he could avoid filling up before dinner. Instead he chose a quicker solution.

Shifting his forelegs, he activated Musclemass, grabbing the Gryphon’s unbroken wing and picking him up over his shoulder. He turned and faced the Everfree forest, at least a mile away, and took a running start on his other three legs. With barely a grunt, he threw the body like a javelin, utilizing the natural aerodynamic properties of the Gryphon physique by throwing it beak first. It spiraled through the air, easily sailing over the distance of flat ground between Mercer and the forest. It remained airborne for a full ten seconds before disappearing somewhere deep within the thick foliage.

Mercer turned back to town, preparing for his long trek to the restaurant he’d agreed to meet Fluttershy at. He was a few kilometers outside of Ponyville, having gone out that far to lure his would-be stalker into the open. Of course, that was the only reason. It’s not like he did it to intentionally sabotage himself and cause him to be late or anything. That would just be downright despicable.

A rush of air and dust signaled his departure from the field, all four hooves pounding against the ground as he galloped full speed towards town. Mercer raced across the field in record time, shooting past the outer most buildings and a few startled and very confused ponies on their way home for the night. He weaved in and out of alleyways, narrowly avoiding colliding with more than a few trashcans in his haste.

Making a quick turn after stumbling over a small bale of hay, Mercer spotted the building he was looking for. It was a one story café, with a few tables and chairs out front for those who wished to dine outside. Of course, thanks to the cold night air, no one sat at them. A sign above the door read “Café Demi” in large block letters. There were only three ponies out front, two of them mares and the other a smartly dressed stallion that conversed with them quietly.

The sight of the suit reminded him of what Rainbow Dash had told him earlier. He hit the brakes, digging his hooves in the dirt to slow himself down. Once the dust he kicked up had settled, he looked down at the clothes he had on. Or rather, at the biomass he used to mimic them. Although he liked his current look better, he had technically agreed to wear something more formal. Reluctantly, he shifted his form, changing out of the hoodie and jacket and into an outfit more befitting a gentleman.

Rainbow Dash noticed Mercer first as he approached, anger evident in her eyes. He was almost fifteen minutes late after all. “There you are! We’ve been waiting forever! Exactly what does ‘eight o’ clock’ mean on your planet anyway? Huh?” Fluttershy looked to see who her friend was yelling at; blushing when she realized it was Mercer.

“Relax. Haven’t you ever heard of the term ‘fashionably late’? It’s basic protocol to show up for a first date at least ten minutes after the original appointed time. For me to actually show up earlier then the allotted time frame would be a violation of social mediums not to mention being incredibly rude.” Rainbow’s jaw dropped; her expression so priceless it brought an honest-to-God smile to his face. “I may be rusty at this, but even I know that.” A giggle behind the mare indicated Fluttershy found that statement just as amusing as he did.

“…You look…nice.” Mercer looked down at the blazer and white button up shirt he’d donned in place of his leather jacket. Something vaguely reminiscent of an old memory he couldn’t quite recall. Perhaps his chosen attire for his first date with Karen Parker? Or a school event he attended with his sister? With his genetic memory in such a frayed and broken state, he had no hope of remembering any time soon.

“Yeah…you too.” He scrutinized Fluttershy’s appearance, amazed that one dress could have that many frills. It was a beautiful dress, just not what he expected to see on a quiet pony like her. He could tell a lot of attention and time had gone into getting it all prepared, not including what was spent on her hair, which was styled up in a bun with so many complicated twists and curls he had to shake his head to keep from tracing the mesmerizing strands. Little bows shaped like flowers were scattered about on her head, maybe some last minute addition before she was ushered out the door by the unicorn fashonista he could only assume was the culprit behind this extreme makeover. “Let me guess…Rarity?”

She nodded. “She told me not to slouch…o-or drag my hooves…or get my hair wet…or move too fast…” Her smile grew a little more as she listed off each rule the unicorn had set down.

In a surprising moment of sincerity, Mercer found himself feeling sorry for the yellow Pegasus. “So…basically she didn’t want you to move…or be comfortable.” Another giggle. “What about you?” He turned to Rainbow Dash, who’s far less frilly dress looked almost disgustingly plain in comparison. “Rarity didn’t try to put you in a straight-dress?”

“Yeah, but I told her I didn’t need to since it wasn’t me you were going on a date with.” She seemed to finally recover from her momentary shock from all his technical talk, the majority of which he had made up on the spot. “That’s not to say she didn’t try though. Celestia knows she kept trying to trick me into wearing a ridiculous dress like it was my cute-ceañera again.”

“Sounds like a fun afternoon.”

“Oh yeah. Tons of fun. Now can we go inside? I skipped dinner for this so I’m starving.” She nodded to the stallion that was still standing next to them, who gestured for them to follow him inside. Mercer had forgotten he was there.

“Please come in, I’ll show you to your seat.”

Mercer stared at the food in front of him, already regretting his decision to just accept their waiter’s first recommendation without thinking. It wasn’t necessarily a taste thing; he wasn’t planning on eating it anyway. But his aesthetic pallet was now being assaulted by the sight before him. Up until now he was under the impression that the only things ponies ate were cupcakes and apple pie, or pretty much anything that was made with apples. But looking at what he’d ordered, he was proven wrong.

From what he could tell, it was some sort of salad. Or, just as possibly, they had given him the scraps by mistake. Either way, it did not look very appetizing. It had some kind of edible bark on top in place of croutons, and instead of lettuce leaves it looked like the chef had just thrown some yard clippings on a plate.

“Is there anything else you would like? Perhaps some artichoke hearts as garnish? Or a sprinkling of edemame to go with the carrot shavings?”

Mercer stifled a gag. “No thanks. This is…fine.”

“And you ladies? Is everything satisfactory for you as well?” Rainbow Dash was too busy digging in to her food to reply, but still managed a raised hoof and a shooing motion for an answer. Fluttershy said nothing, merely nodding her head politely and taking a small nibble off her plate. “Terrific! If you have any questions, or just want to talk to me, yell for Vince!” With that, the effeminate stallion took a bow, jovially skipping away to the next table waiting to make their orders.

“Are you gonna eat that, Mercer?” Rainbow asked while pointing to his plate. He shook his head, thoroughly disgusted, and pushed his food over next to hers. She took it greedily, dumping it on her plate and resuming eating.

Fluttershy looked at him questioningly. “You’re not hungry?”

He took another look at the food. “Not really…” Thanks to the Blacklight virus he didn’t require food anymore. Biomass was his only source of energy now. But even besides that, he never was a vegetable person. Just the thought of things like artichokes always made him feel sick to his stomach.

The next few minutes were filled with nothing but silence, the only exception being the obnoxious sounds Rainbow Dash was making. Fluttershy had barely even taken her eyes off her lap, and the few times she did chance a look at Mercer she would “eep!” and hide her face again. So far, this date was going exactly how he thought it would.

Sighing, he did what he usually did when he got this bored. He zoned out, ignoring his surroundings and focusing on his own thoughts. At least he would have, had the sound of breaking china not interrupted him.

Everyone in the restaurant turned their attention to where the sound came from. One lone waitress stood near the doors to the kitchen, a pile of broken plates at her hooves. She looked completely humiliated as she tried to stammer through an apology to the customer she’d bumped into. A collective sigh filled the large room, like the realization it was only a clumsy waitress was the most relieving piece of knowledge in the world. That interested Mercer.

He scanned the tables around the room, trying to listen in on all the conversations starting back up again for anything that would explain why they were all so on edge. After a moment he caught on to what he wanted to hear from a table nearby, where a mare he couldn’t see was talking about some recent developments in Equestrian security.

“…It must have been just frightful to have to deal with that, even for the Princess! They just showed up demanding answers and blaming her for violating the treaty!”

“That sounds just awful! Did they try to attack anyone?” Another mare he couldn’t see. From what he could tell already, thanks to what he already knew, he had a pretty good idea of what it is they were talking about.

“I don’t know. After that, the Princess asked all except the guards and the dignitaries to leave, so my sister wasn’t able to hear what they talked about, but I can imagine it only got worse. Those Gryphons can be scary when they get angry.”

“You’re telling me. Remember that one that came here and terrorized the town?”

“Mercer?”

“She was the worst. I’m glad they chased her away when they did.”

“Mercer.”

“If she’s anything to go by, a war with them wouldn’t end well at all.”

“Mercer!”

He was torn away from the conversation when Rainbow Dash finally got his attention by throwing a wadded up napkin at his head.

“Ah-uh-wha-huh?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “And Twilight said you were a genius…” Mercer sunk in his seat. “Anyway, I was just telling Fluttershy how you helped egghead find out what that powder stuff that Zecora tried to kill Berry Punch with was.”

“Rainbow Dash!”

She seemed surprised at Fluttershy’s outburst. “What?”

“You shouldn’t use that word so carelessly.”

“What word? Kill?”

Fluttershy flinched. “…Yes. That word.”

Mercer shared a look with Rainbow Dash, who face hoofed. “…Alright then…the powder stuff that Zecora used to try to get rid of Berry Punch. Is that better?”

She shook her head. “Not really.”

Before Rainbow could object to her friend’s logic, Mercer interjected. “Speaking of Zecora, have there been any recent sightings of her that you know about?” They stared at him strangely. “…I’m just curious.”

Rainbow put her hoof to her chin in thought. “…Not that I’ve heard of. They had me keep my eye open for her while I was working today but I never saw her.”

“Hm. That’s unfortunate.” He thought about the conversation he’d just overheard. “Do either of you know about what’s got everyone so…nervous? Besides the whole Zecora thing, I mean.”

This time Fluttershy spoke up. “It’s probably what happened to Princess Celestia the other day…”

Rainbow looked confused. “What happened to the princess?”

“You didn’t hear? I-I’m sorry, I meant to tell you. I guess I forgot.”

She waved a hoof. “It’s alright. Just tell me.”

“W-well, apparently some dignitaries showed up at the castle demanding to talk to the princess about something. I don’t know what it was but I guess they were pretty angry about it because now everypony is talking about a war with the Gryphons.” She paused. “A-at least that’s what I heard…”

Mercer hid his smirk. A war with the Gryphons. Even though it began by chance, this whole thing with the Gryphons could not be going any better. Now that all this tension has these ponies focused on the conflict between the two lands, he was basically free to do whatever he wanted….as long as he dealt with Zecora first. And as luck would have it, he’d get his chance just a few hours later that very night.

“Mercer!”

He stopped when he heard Rainbow Dash shout his name. He figured she would have followed him; all night she hadn’t let him glance away from the table, or Fluttershy, for more than a few seconds without throwing something at his head. After the third loose cutlery bounced off his temple, he figured he’d just sit tight and be attentive. Until just a minute ago when he excused himself to go to the bathroom and instead slipped out the backdoor. Now he was standing in the alley behind the restaurant with an angry mare trying to bore holes in the back of his head with only her eyes.

“Are you really just going to leave right in the middle of your date?” Reluctantly, he turned slowly to face her. “Look, I know you didn’t exactly want to come on this date in the first place, but that doesn’t mean you can just leave Fluttershy all alone like that!”

“And you coming to follow me is any better?” She dropped her glare, her look of anger turning to one of guilt. “I thought so. Besides, you have no idea what’s going on here.”

She scowled at him. “I think I know plenty! We were all actually starting to have a good time and you got scared and tried to make a run for it!” Mercer scoffed. “Am I right or not?”

Not. Though it started off slowly, even he had to admit he had begun to have a good time. Or, at least as much of a good time as he could with a boisterous speed freak like Rainbow Dash and a timid mare like Fluttershy. Mercer’s mood had even improved enough to where he let a smile or two slip past his normally indifferent façade. He wasn’t denying all that. The truth of the matter was that his trying to leave was in no part due to the night he’d had so far. But trying to tell her that was a waste of time, and for the first time tonight that was exactly what he didn’t want to do.

“Rainbow, you have to understand when I say this: The reason why I am leaving is not because of you or Fluttershy. There’s something important I have to take care of.” He turned to leave.

“I’ll tell Pinkie Pie.” He stopped. “You agreed to go on this date. If you leave now, whether it’s because of something important or not, Fluttershy is going to think it’s because you don’t like her. And if she cries, you’ll be breaking your Pinkie Promise.”

With great force he fought the urge to strike her. He settled for taking a deep, calming breath instead. “I think Pinkie Pie will understand-”

“Rainbow Dash, why have you not headed my word? Is this monster the reason my warning has gone unheard?”

They both froze, instantly recognizing the accent in that voice. They turned, seeing a shadowy figure standing at the front of the alley. Rainbow backed away a step, fear evident on her face. “Z-Z-Zecora!”

“Do not be afraid, my friend; our broken trust, I will soon mend.” She set her gaze on Mercer. “I see you have done well tarnishing my name; but it is you that will ultimately lose this game.”

Mercer clenched his teeth. Again with the rhyming. Every time she talks, it’s like she’s reading from a bad Dr. Seuss book. “Game? I don’t know what you’re talking about, Zecora.” He feigned ignorance. “But I think there are a few people who would like to talk to you about your little psychotic break, or whatever it was that made you want to kill Berry Punch-”

“Do not speak to me in that innocent tone! You know exactly of the crimes you wish to condone!”

Rainbow walked up next to him. “Mercer, what is she talking about?”

“How should I know? She’s insane!”

Zecora approached them slowly. “Hear me now, Rainbow, for you must listen; think well on your choices, before you make your decision.” She stopped a few yards away from them. “Should you believe his words, he will lead you astray; and if he gets what he wants, it is you who will pay.”

Rainbow Dash seemed uncertain. She kept looking from Mercer to Zecora and back, clearly unsure of whom she should believe. Her mouth opened and closed, as if she had forgotten how to speak. “…I-I…” She looked at Mercer pleadingly. “…I-I don’t understand…”

He knew that look. That was the kind of look someone got when they were about to do something he wasn’t going to like. Not waiting for her to do something stupid, he fed a tendril into the ground from his hoof, pushing it through the loose dirt until it came up just behind her back leg.

“Rainbow Dash, I know this is hard, but you have to know I never meant for you to-Look out!” Just as he shouted it, he lashed out with the tendril, stabbing it into her neck just far enough to keep from killing her. He used it like a hypodermic needle, injecting the Blacklight virus into her bloodstream. Almost immediately she went stiff, falling over onto her side as she began to spasm uncontrollably. Her pupils dilated, growing to such size that it almost appeared as if her eyes were completely black. With a gasp, she let out one, final breath before becoming still.

Mercer retracted the tendril. ‘Well, that took longer than expected.’ He thought. He turned back to Zecora. ‘Time to finish what I started.’

Without having to worry about revealing what he was to Rainbow, he no longer had to hold back. “You’ve been surprisingly annoying, Miss Zecora. I don’t think I’ve had this much trouble dealing with someone like you since…” Heller. He pushed the thought out of his mind. No more distractions. “Why don’t you save me some trouble and just make this quick? For both of our sakes.”

“Making this quick is exactly my plan; for your atrocities, I will no longer stand.”

“You’re braver than you look.” He smirked. “Allow me to show you how meaningless that is.” Mercer sprung forward, swinging his hoof around and aiming for her head. It would have been a devastating blow, had it actually connected. With agility he never expected from a zebra, Zecora jumped to the side and avoided his attack with ease. When he spun around to face her again he found her holding her hoof up, a small pile of blue powder resting on it. Before he could react, she blew a puff of air on it, shooting the loose material directly into his eyes.

He shut his eyes tight, backing up sharply and slamming his back against the wall of the alley. Growling loudly, he tried to shake his head and rid himself of the stinging particles, but that only succeeded in making it worse.

“Why can’t you just die you miserable bitch!?” He managed to wipe enough of the powder out of his eyes to be able to see again, only to catch a glimpse of Zecora holding a bucket in her hooves. “Oh, if you even think about-” Before he could finish, she emptied the contents over his head, and he was once again brought to his knees by the overpowering Bloodtox.

Mercer fought to keep from falling over completely, all of his strength going into propping himself up in a low crouch. All the while this went on, Zecora slowly circled him, watching him struggle against the powder as it quickly sapped his strength. She said nothing, her eyes alone relaying all the hate and pity she held for him.

After what seemed like hours for Mercer, she finally stopped her circling, standing directly in front of him. She leaned back and began searching through her saddlebag, pulling out a strange looking knife after a moments search.

Holding it firmly in hoof, she placed the edge of it against his throat. “Know this, foul creature, before I send you to Death’s embrace; this is your own doing, for a life filled with disgrace.” With a flick, she slid the blade across his throat, cutting in deeply enough to make him flinch. Before his regenerative powers kicked in, some of the powder fell into the open wound, burning him even more and preventing him from healing it.

In a rage, Mercer managed to pull himself up and throw his body against her, knocking her to the ground and making her drop the knife. When he moved, the powder shifted on his body, a lot of it falling off and lessening the pain he was in. Zecora jumped back to her feet, making a dash for the knife. Mercer intercepted her, grabbing her hoof and flipping her over his shoulder and throwing her farther down the alley. She landed next to Rainbow Dash, groaning quietly while she tried to get back up.

Mercer stood up on his hind legs, holding his fore hooves outstretched at his sides, then bringing them in and slamming them together. The impact created a shockwave that blew the rest of the powder off, as well as scattering any dirt and debris present in the immediate area. With a relieved sigh he allowed his body to stitch the wound in his neck closed, the biomass seamlessly repairing it good as new.

Movement caught his eye, and when he turned his head he saw Zecora charging at him, a small sack filled with more powder held tightly in her jaws. This time he didn’t give her the chance to use it; instead he planted his hooves into the dirt and forced large amounts of biomass under the surface. It came up underneath Zecora mid step, massive spikes shooting out of the ground and catching her off guard. The spikes pierced clean through her body, lifting her into the air several feet. He held her there for a few moments before retracting the spikes, letting her body fall back down hard. She coughed violently, spitting blood on the ground and adding to the growing puddle already surrounding her. Unfortunately for her, this wasn’t where her suffering was going to end.

He approached her slowly and deliberately, putting on his favorite evil smirk and making a “tsk tsk” noise. “C’mon now, Zecora. With all that you know about me, you had to have known what I’m capable of. A knife? Where I come from, I’ve survived worse than that.”

She took a shaky breath. “True…it was…less humane than what he wanted…but to save these lands…I would not be daunted.”

“'He'…so you are working with someone. Who is it? How does he know so much about the virus? About me?”

“…For one so smart…you know nothing…the weight of your ignorance…must be crushing.” She gave him a bloodied smile. “I will say this, to ease your fears; the one you seek…is closer than he appears…” With one last cough, she let her head roll back, closing her eyes as the life left her. Mercer could hear her heartbeat grow weaker and weaker, until finally it just stopped. The blood in her body continued to flow out onto the ground, the dirt around her soaking it up greedily.

Zecora was dead. After an annoying amount of trouble, he had killed her. And even better, he had infected Rainbow Dash finally as well. He had finished two of his biggest goals…

And yet he felt nothing. He thought it would bring him joy. Satisfaction. But all he felt was…tired.

A shiver up his spine gave him that feeling of being watched. He let out a breath and turned to look where it came from. He was mildly surprised to see Fluttershy’s wide eyed and fearful stare watching him from the doorway to the restaurant. Her eyes shifted down to Zecora’s body, then over to Rainbow’s, and finally back to Mercer.

“Oh, this is unbelievable…” He groaned. Stepping over the dead zebra, he walked over to where she was frozen in place, grabbing the door and pulling her through it and out into the alley before closing it behind her. “Alright…I…” He let out a sigh. “…am in no mood to try to explain any of this. Just hold still…and don’t scream.” He held up his hoof.

“Wait!” She reached out and stopped him, a blush reaching her cheeks when she realized she was basically holding his hoof. “…Um…” She looked over at Rainbow Dash. “…I-is she…d-dead?”

Mercer followed her gaze. “Technically…yes.” Her face fell. “…Will she get up? Now that’s a different question entirely.”

Fluttershy looked confused. “…W-what…what do you mean?”

“Well, she’s dead in that she’s no longer alive. The virus will turn her into something else. She’ll still have the same memories…she just won’t be herself.”

“S-so…sh-she’s not…dead. B-but she won’t be herself?”

“Exactly. So you won’t have to worry any. Now, hold still so I can-”

“W-wait!”

He stopped again. “What is it?”

“Is…Zecora going to…get up too?”

Mercer shook his head. “No. She actually is dead. In fact I’ll have to deal with her in a second too so if you don’t mind-”

“No, wait!”

“God dammit Fluttershy! If you say wait one more time I am going to string you up like tinsel!” She shrunk back, pressing up against the wall tightly. Seeing her like that gave him a pang of guilt, so he took a breath to calm down. “…Why do you need me to explain any more? I’m about to kill you, what does it matter anyway?”

“W-well…you don’t have to…t-to kill me…”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? So you’ll just…forget everything you’ve seen here?” He gestured to the dead body and her unconscious friend. He asked it rhetorically, but Fluttershy nodded her head regardless. Mercer placed his hoof against his temple. “Fluttershy…do you really expect me to believe that? I can’t just let you walk away.”

“B-but…what if I…promised not to tell?”

He stared blankly at her. “Yeah…that’ll work.” He said sarcastically.

She didn’t falter. “I could…Pinkie Promise…”

That made him look at her confusedly. “Seriously? You’d Pinkie Promise on something like that?” She nodded. “Why? So we can finish our date?” She blushed again. His eyes went wide. “Oh…my…God…” He continued to stare at her. “No…no, no no no…” Fluttershy was trying her hardest to avoid looking into his eyes. “You’re…in love with me.” If it was possible for her face to turn any redder, she might join Zecora on the ground. “Jesus…I knew you liked me, but…this is just…” He shook his head “What is this, Disney World? Am I supposed to be the rogue criminal that gets yanked into an adventure with the beautiful princess? This isn’t a fairy tale, Fluttershy, this is reality.” He took a look at himself, remembering he was a pony in a world where the sun revolved around the Earth. “…Ok, scratch that last part. But my argument still stands!”

She was quiet for a few seconds, until she finally looked up to meet his gaze. “…Beautiful?”

He facehooved. “That’s what you took from what I said? Are you kidding me right now?” She shrugged. “…Alright. Enough stalling. I’m sorry to have to do this but-”

“W-wait! You can’t!” Mercer scoffed. “I-I mean…you wouldn’t want to…”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because if you…kill me, then somepony would notice I was gone. And Rainbow Dash…”

“I think Rainbow Dash is going to have bigger problems on her hands-hooves-when she wakes up. You missing will be the least of her worries. Besides, I can just blame it on Zecora if I have to. It’s not like she’s gonna say otherwise.” Her dejected look told him she was out of ideas to justify not killing her. “Just accept it Fluttershy. This whole thing is amusing, but that’s no reason to draw it out any longer.”

“But…but I…” Mercer shifted to his claws power, much to her surprise, and raised them up to strike. She flinched away. “But I…can help you.” Still flinching, she waited for the end to come. When it didn’t, she looked up at him to see he was watching her intently.

“…Just how in love with me are you?”

“…I…I wouldn’t say…love…b-but, if what I’ve learned about you is anything to go by…” She stood up slowly. “…I know you’re good Mercer. You’re kind and gentle, even if you won’t admit it to anypony. Pinkie and I can see it…that’s why she trusts you so much…that’s why I trust you so much.” She took a few steps towards him. “Even if you…got rid of Zecora, if you told me it was for a good reason…I’d believe you.”

“Hmm…” This was getting stranger and stranger. She just saw him commit a murder, and yet she’s still willing to believe he’s good? He knew love was blind, but this was just insane. But maybe she was right…maybe she could help him. “…How…gullible would you say Rainbow Dash is?”

She thought about it. “I-I suppose…she has been willing to believe the…occasional fib…”

“…Do you think you could get her to believe something crazy? Like, really crazy?”

She seemed shocked. “M-me!? Uh-y-yeah…I guess…” Her shock turned to hope. “D-does this mean…you’re not going to…k-kill me?”

“We’ll see. But first things first: go back inside and pay for our dinner. When you’re done, leave out the front door and come back around here. I’ll tell you what to do from there.” She complied, taking one final look at her friend before disappearing through the door. Mercer knew he was taking a big risk trusting her not to talk, but he figured ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ If she does try to tell someone, he can just kill her. The way he saw it, he didn’t have much to lose.

He turned back to Zecora’s body. “Now the hard part…how do I make you look like you died by accident?”

“Why the hell are you laughing?”

“I just find it cute. First Pinkie, then Fluttershy. It seems your quite the lady-stallion, Mercer.”

“Oh shut up!”

“And you killed Zecora. Finally, the part of the story I’ve been looking forward to! Quite nice detail, too. I love the way you described the blood soaking into the ground around her. It definitely spiced it up.”

“…Why do I get the feeling you tortured small animals as a child?”

“Hehehe…always quick with the wit, aren’t you Mercer?”

“Does nothing offend you?”

“Why should it? I know you don’t mean it.”

“How so?”

“It’s just like Fluttershy said in your story: you’re kind and gentle, even if you won’t admit it.”

“I just told you I killed someone. How could you possibly interpret that as kind and gentle?”

“It’s all in the fine print.”

“What are you talking about?”

“In good time, my friend.”

“I’m not your friend.”

“On with the story! What happens next?”

“Nothing. I’m not telling you anything more until you give me some answers.”

“Like what?”

“Are you the ‘he’ Zecora spoke of? Were you the one helping her?”

“Why of course not! How could you ever accuse me of such a thing?”

“It’s all in the fine print.”

“Ahahaha…I see what you did there…”

“If you weren’t helping Zecora, then who are you?”

“Ah-ah-ah, not so fast. That’s not how this works. You tell me part of the story, I answer a question.”

“You are really starting to become a pain in the ass.”

“Noted. Continue.”

“Alright. Turns out I actually could trust Fluttershy. Just like I told her, she came back around to the alley a few minutes later, and helped me clean up the murder site.”

“I thought you wanted it to be an accident.”

“She was full of holes! How could I ever make that look like an accident? It was better to just cover everything up and get rid of the body.”

“Like the others.”

“Yes, like the other-Who’s telling this story?”

“So sorry.”

“Whatever. Anyway, Fluttershy carried Rainbow Dash back to her cottage and I got to work looking for other candidates.”

“Candidates? For what?”

“…My army.”

Author's Note

If this chapter seems rushed, it is. I've been putting off working on this for so long I just wanted to get it done.

But if there's one thing good to take away from this chapter, it's that I DON'T HAVE TO WRITE FOR ZECORA ANYMORE!!!!!!! If I wanted to spend all my time coming up with crappy rhymes, I'd kill myself...Oh God, I just did one, didn't I? TT_TT

Anyway, in the spirit of Mercer going on a date, I wrote what was supposed to be a short addition to this chapter but ended up being an entirely new chapter of its own. So enjoy it, my friends:

BONUS CHAPTER!!!!!!!!