//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 Shadows and Hunters // Story: Royal Pains (Remastered Version) // by Bronyprophet //------------------------------// Celestia, and Luna, watched on the edge of their thrones, as they saw something being released from the strange object, as they watched, they saw Zephyr push Twilight out of the way. The two sisters soon recognized what that object was, and what it launched. It had been a crossbow, releasing its' sinister steel bolt towards Twilight. The two sisters started making their way towards the restaurant, that Twilight, and Zephyr, were dining at. Teleporting every now and then, to shorten the travel time, with the Royal Physician close in toe. Zephyr pushed Twilight out of the way, moments before the bolt met its' mark. The bolt soon punctured his side, and he fell to the ground with a groan of pain, bleeding profusely from the injury. "ZEPHYR!" Twilight ran over to Zephyr with a sense of concern, she was expecting the worse case scenario. "Please be okay," Twilight thought to herself. She looked towards where the bolt was fired from, and she saw a mysterious and sinister pony, vanish suddenly, in a flash of red light. After a few moments, Celestia and Luna, made it to where the would be couple, were having their date. "Twilight, are you okay!" Celestia asked Twilight, circling her, making sure there wasn't one hair out of place . Twilight didn't notice her mentor fussing over her, all she cared about, was whether, or not, Zephyr was okay. "Is he going to be okay, Dr Tender Hooves?" Twilight said anxiously. "He will be fine, but I must take him to the hospital immediately." The doctor professionally stated . Twilight didn't reply, she just teleported the doctor, Zephyr, and herself, to the hospital. After she did, the world faded to black, as Twilight fainted from the exertion of magic. "Code Blue!" The doctor announced, and three nurses came rushing to his aid, with 2 stretchers. The Physician, and the nurse, picked up Zephyr. While the other two nurses picked up Twilight, and put her on the second stretcher also. After a few hours Twilight woke up, and saw Celestia pacing back and fourth in the ward she was in. Celestia realized that Twilight had woken up and ran to her. "Twilight, what were you thinking! teleporting such a long distance, carrying three ponies with magic! Do I have to remind you, that magic comes with a cost?!" Celestia Chastised. "Is Zephyr alright?" Twilight, didn't notice her mentor chastising her. "Yes he is fine Twilight, he is just resting now. As for you my young pupil, you're in a great deal of trouble!" Celestia stated condescendingly, resembling a mother telling her daughter, how stupid she was. "I know I shouldn't of used so much magic. I just wanted to protect Zephyr." Twilight cringed, under her mentors steely gaze. "It's alright Twilight, I understand, I would of done the same thing for my sister, but do you know how dangerous and reckless that was? you know that magic requires both physical, and mental strength. Any further, and you would of... you would of died!" Celestia took a deep breath, before continuing, "I'm sorry for being so harsh on you, but you're so much like me, and that's what I'm afraid of. Do you know who attacked you?" Celestia had realised that Twilight was only acting rash because of her emotions, and her Twilight had gone through enough tonight. "No, I don't know who he was, he vanished too quickly." Twilight got up out of the stretcher, and started making her way to visit Zephyr, she had become so worried about Zephyr. Twilight thought it was strange, that a stallion could have such an impact on her, no pony had ever had that affect on her before. Once she made it to Zephyrs' ward, she saw him stir. "Twilight... I'm glad your okay. I know you used magic to teleport all three of us here, you shouldn't have done that, it was too dangerous. Enough ponies have been injured tonight." Zephyr said gingerly. "I...I was worried about you!" Twilight began to weep, when she saw the pony that she had such a good night with, injured so badly. "Hey, hey, no tears please. I wouldn't expect anything less from my mare friend. I'm just happy you're okay." Zephyr reached up a weak hoof, and wiped a tear away from her face, lovingly. "Mare... mare friend?" Twilight stated with a mixture of emotions. "Yes Twilight, one thing I realized since I saved you, is that I don't want to leave your side ever again. I have only reserved that service for kings and queens, and one day, I hope you will be my Princess." Zephyr reaffirmed. "I'd be happy to call you my colt Friend, Zeph." Twilight replied in excitement, however, one thought came to Twilights' mind, for the future they both hoped for to happen, and to become a reality, she needed to find this assassin, and stop him from causing harm to her, or her new colt friend. While Twilight, and Zephyr, were spending time with each other, the would be assassin had been planning a new plot to eliminate Twilight, and now he had a new target. That new Target was Zephyr, he may of thwarted his first attempt on Twilights life, but he knew he would succeed if he eliminated Zephyr first. He started researching Zephyr, and he found out where his favourite spots were, when his guards would change, and where he would commute from day to day. He also researched who Zephyrs family were, and what he did for a career. "So he served in the griffin war, 20 confirmed kills and he's a sergeant. I may need some help taking this target out, perhaps its time to call in some old marks. Oh don't you worry Twilight, I will have my vengeance for what you stole from me. I'll ruin your life for taking mine, my little mauve friend." The assassin stated to himself, as he was going over the research he had found, before continuing. "Now that's an idea, I'll take everything from her. She will feel the way I felt. When she ruined my career, my lineage, and my renown. I'll start with your friends to begin with, I'll kill them, nice and slowly; and I'll make sure you have a front row seat so you can watch their demise. Then I will make you beg for death, and I'll grant your plea, but only after you have suffered unimaginable torment, and pain." He thought aloud, before he threw a knife at a picture of Twilight. The blade flipped end over end, landing solidly in between Twilights eyes, in the picture.