//------------------------------// // An old friend // Story: An equestrian hitpony // by rainbowderp117 //------------------------------// It had been nine days since I had murdered Sergeant Hardhoof and I had finally arrived at Spark's warehouse to report back to him. I slammed the door behind and saw Spark on the other side waiting for me. "You will be satisfied to know that Hardhoof will no longer be of nuisance to you um... Sir." I told him as I tossed Sergeant's medal before his guard grabbed it with his magic. Spark then looked at me and laughed. "Oh yes I am satisfied but what I do not like is that you are still alive." he told me which I thought was a joke until I saw that his face was dead serious. "What do you mean when you say that Sir?" I asked nervously. "What I mean is that I already knew they would attack my caravan anyway if they found out about the routes which they already did two days ago, I found out in a report from one of my officers." He said which infuriated me. "WHY WOULD YOU SEND ME THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE IF YOU HAD ALREADY KNOWN!" I yelled at him causing some of the guards to unsheathe their weapons. This only caused Spark to grin "You should already have known this mister Sharpshooter. I had planned for your demise since the second I had captured you, but since you have prove how formidable you are I'll will need to rethink it." He said as he began walking back towards his office while the guards watched me like hawks. "Oh yeah I will give you more missions to complete later, so get out before I send my guards to give you a nice new scar for your scar collection." He yelled I wanted to kill him then and there but I knew I would go with him if I did so I decided to walk out. "Well I should at least do something productive before he sends me on the next impossible mission." I sighed but then perked up when I decided where to go. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had finally reached my destination after hours of waiting on the train to Manehatten my home, but I wasn't here to remember the past but instead to speak to my friend who I had met a long time ago. He is a grey colt with a blue mane named Ticket Blast although I don't know if he had changed it after he had quit his job of being a hitpony who had once saved my life. I knocked on the door of my friends home which he slowly opened and took a look at my face. "Do I know you?" he asked suspiciously. "You don't remember me at all well I will give you a hint, do you remember a pony named Storm Shield by any chance?" I said as his face became filled with joy. "I knew it! Come inside I have much to discuss do you want something to drink? Wine perhaps or some apple cider?" He offered as he began leading me toward his living room. "No thank you, I have only come to speak to you about a matter of life and death." I told him as he focused all his attention to me. "Wait what do you mean a matter of life and death, if it is just a job you can just refuse it." He told me as he began pouring himself a glass of cider and planted his body on the couch. "Tell me everything." I had finished telling him everything about being captured by Spark and killing Sergeant Hardhoof which luckily enough he believed me. "So this Spark pony has he ordered you on any other missions yet?" Ticket asked. "No but he will soon enough and I know this one will actually kill me." I said as I sighed and decided to pour myself my own glass of cider. "Don't worry about it to much I will help you survive this next mission and even kill Spark himself." He handed me a drawing of a large strange looking red crystal, I was confused by this. "This is the dragons stone it is a crystal that is said to contain powerful magic but you don't need to know that, what you do need to know is that it is worth a large number of bits. Well if you can manage to find it that is." He said with a giggle. "Where do I find it?" I asked him. "The volcanic mountains in the east." He said worryingly "it will be difficult to survive the harsh conditions if the royal military doesn't get you first." "Well I guess I must go, I cannot waste any more time speaking to you." I told him as I packed all my things and walked out the door. I was greeted by four armed ponies in cloaks waiting for me outside. "What do you want?" I said defensively as I slowely reached for my dagger. "Their is no need for violence Mr.Sharpshooter, Spark has requested for you to do more work for him." They told me as I sighed and moved my hoof away from the dagger. "What is it then?" I asked but they said nothing and gave me a folder containing files as they began walking away. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I went to purchase armor and weapons at a nearby blacksmith since I knew I would not get anything to help me survive this time. I wasted nearly all my bits on concealed chain-mail and a sharp dagger that had a nice looking golden handle. "Excuse me do you know if any trains would be stopping by today that would be going to the Crystal Empire today" I asked the blacksmith. "Well, today is your lucky day because their is a trains coming in less than an hour." He told me with a smile as he went back to crafting. "Their is no way i am going to get out of this alive." I thought with a frown as I began walking out. I knew this would be the last of my days because instead of some easy mission that Spark would think is difficult I would be going there to kill the princess...