A few days later, Headline was relaxing by taking a simple stroll around the marketplace when suddenly, Twilight bumped into him.
“Hi Twilight, how are...”
Suddenly, she looked worried and started to sob.
“Oh no, Twilight, what happened?” Headline said with concern.
“Fluttershy...”
Immediately, Headline probably knew what happened but he wanted to make sure.
“What happened?”
“I don't know.” Twilight said with tears in her eyes. “I went to her house to go to the park with me but...”
“...she was not there.”
“Yeah, exactly. She does not disappear like that. She does not even get up that early.”
Headline knew where she was taken but, was going to need all the support he could get.
“Alright Twilight, be as brave as you can, act normal, get your 4 other friends and meet me at that back alley over there.” Headline said as he pointed over in the direction towards the walkway.
“Why?”
“Trust me.”
After thirty minutes, the others have arrived and also heard the news about Fluttershy disappearing.
“What are we going to do now?” Applejack said as calmly as possible.
“I can't sit around and wait, we must help her.” Rainbow dash replied.
“I, for one, can't let some ponies just take other ponies willy-nilly.” Rarity said with anger.
“I think they need to improve their attitude.” Pinkie said to Twilight.
“Now listen everypony, Headline has this planned, right?” Twilight said with uncertainty.
“Yes, I have a plan, though I'm afraid, they may be one step ahead of my plan already but I have to try.” Headline said with all the confidence he had. “Here.” Headline said as he gave Twilight a device.
“What is it?” Rainbow asked.
“Oh, oh, are we watching a movie?” Pinkie asked randomly.
“Not exactly, that allows you to see what I can see, called a hidden camera.” Headline said as he pointed out the device. “See, I'm wearing it right here, so you can see what's going on with me.”
“Cool!” Rainbow said.
“I like the black.” Rarity said with a fashion mind.
“Why don't we have a hidden microphone or something?” Twilight asked.
“Sorry, but I did not want any of you to get into this mess, for that matter I do not think I will be coming back out of this alive, but I will do what I can to bring Fluttershy back. That is a promise.”
The 5 ponies looked at Headline and knew that they can trust Headline completely. Without a moment delay, Headline put on the Assassin uniform and went down into the elevator and reached the main floor. When he arrived, he certainly was not given the welcome wagon.
“Well, you finally arrived.” Master Zek said as he lowered Fluttershy down.
“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Headline yelled out in anger.
“Why should I?”
“She has nothing to do with this!”
“If I let her go now, you will run off with her. You still have to face your punishment before you leave so let's say that this young filly...” he says as he puts a dagger to her throat. “...is leverage to make sure you stay. Now, come into the arena and we will face your punishment there.”
The other Assassins followed them into the arena; it almost looks like a large track.
“You know, my brother would not approve of this.”
“Oh, you mean HIM!?” Master Zek said as he brought File with big scars and torn flesh that have been bandaged.
“WHAT...DID...YOU...DO TO HIM!?” As anger boils up within Headline.
“Well, ever since he “protected” you in that dark alley, Sophia brought him back here and got his punishment.”
“You will regret this!” Headline said without a doubt.
“Now, your punishment should be death, but since I'm feeling generous, you will fight one of my greatest pupils here. You may have faced him before in basic training, remember, Zephyr?”
“Oh yes, I remember him.” Headline said as Zephyr walked in.
“Ha, looks like I get a chance to kill you today.”
“What's the rule, master?” Headline asked.
“You are no longer my master, and the rules are simple, whoever lives, is the winner. In your case, Headline, if you win, she goes free, and if you try to free this beautiful filly while fighting, you will regret that decision with another one's life.”
“O.k, let's do this, Zephyr.”
Just like that, the battle started. Headline dodged a frontal sword attack with a back flip and reacted with a quick knife throw that tore his shoulder. Zephyr came back with a few rapid punches and then knocked him to the ground. Headline jumped back up and drew his sword out and with that, a sword fight began but it went quickly with Headline getting cut up and leaving Zephyr still with only a tear in his shoulder.
“Did you really think you could beat a true Assassin, newbie?” Zephyr said all high-and-mighty.
Suddenly, he noticed he was in position to drop a smoke bomb and release Fluttershy and get out.
“I think ahead!” Headline said as he threw a smoke bomb and cut the rope that Fluttershy had on her. Suddenly...
“STOP!” A voice yelled out and Headline was immediately cornered by other assassins. “Headline, you broke the rule so I will make sure you stay and finish the battle.” Suddenly some more assassins came and brought in 5 more ponies.
“NO!” Fluttershy and Headline said as it was there friends Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie.
“Now, you leave with Fluttershy, they die. If you fight and win, then they leave. Right now, you make that choice you will be left with the guilty conscious of killing 5 ponies. I suggest you stay and FINISH THE FIGHT!” Master Zek said with rage.
“Fine.” Headline said, realizing that saving her now was not going to fix anything. “I will win girls, I promise.”
“We have our faith in you.” All 6 ponies said.
The fight resumed, as Headline can barely stand and so he realized that if he made some weak spot jabs on Zephyr, it might make him sore enough for him to knock him out with his power shots.
He immediately went straight forward and threw a throwing knife that was controlled with string, for him to follow and distract him and sure enough, he forgot about Headline coming straight for him. With that, as fast as Headline could, he approached him at various times and angles, hitting every vital spot on his body multiple times. Suddenly, Zephyr was to the point he cannot move, so Headline stood above him.
“I won.” Headline said to Zephyr.
“Not yet.” Master Zek replied back. “If you wish to have your friends go free, you must kill him...now.”
It took a few seconds for him to think about it, since he has never killed anypony nor does he intend to. But, if he doesn't, he will lose all his friends.
“I can't kill him.” Headline said.
“You know I will kill her!”
Suddenly, File winked at Headline and left alone on the ground, tripped the master without him realizing and quickly File released Fluttershy while Headline freed the other 5 and told them to get behind them. Headline was carrying the k.o'd master on his back to question him when they got out.
“Can you still move File?” Headline asked.
“Yeah, and you?”
“I still have more in me.”
Suddenly the Assassins arrived to fight both of them off to get the master back as they made their way towards the elevator.
“GO YOU SIX PONIES! NOW! TO THE ELEVATOR! WE WILL GIVE YOU COVER!” File said.
“DON'T WORRY! WE'LL BE UP IN A MINUTE!” Headline quickly replied.
“NO, I WON'T LEAVE YOU!” Fluttershy responded.
“TRUST ME, LIKE YOU DID WHEN WE FIRST MET!” Headline said.
Immediately, Fluttershy remembered that day during there first flying lesson.
“Want me to help you with flying? Try this.” Headline said as he showed her how to spread her wings out wide. “Do not be afraid to show your wings and stretch them as far out as you can. See?” He said as he helped Fluttershy by stretching out her wings which made her blush. “Now, keep the wings up, bring your legs up to your tummy and let yourself glide.”
“You sure this will work?” Fluttershy said silently.
“Trust me.” Headline said as she immediately took off and glided splendidly.
“I DID IT!”
“Great job Fluttershy!”
“I will trust you...always.”
Fluttershy remembered and did exactly as she was told.
“O.k. You better come back!”
“Don't worry, NOW GO!”
Immediately, they left and took to the elevator. Fluttershy feeling very worried.
“Don't worry Fluttershy, right now I think he would want us to get out of here and back home just to be safe!” Twilight responded with concern.
Fluttershy agreed though would rather wait for Headline and File to arrive. They all immediately went back to their homes until File and Headline came back.
“Well let's hope...” File said with exhaustion. “...they got away safely.”
“Same...here.” Headline replied.
They started knocking out or killing any ponies that stood in the way, until Headline lost sight of File and the lights went off and the fighting sounds suddenly stopped.
“File? Where are you?”
“You were warned!” A voice said in the dark.
“What? Where are you?”
“Oh, don't worry you won't be getting away for long!”
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!” A voice yelled.
It suddenly became silent and what the enemy did not realize was...
“I just...What? Why are you not responding?” The voice said.
...Headline carried both the Master and File out. Once they escaped, Headline laid both File and the master down at a far distance from the hideout.
“File...File...wake up.” No response as File had been torn apart that you could see the flesh on him. “Don't do this to me...not now!.........DON'T DIE ON ME PLEASE!!!!” Headline yelled. “........NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Headline started to cry and yell at the same time until he heard something.
“What have I done?” Master Zek said.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Headline suddenly yelled, jumped, and hammered Master Zek. “YOU HID FROM US AND YOUR OLDEST SON JUST DIED AND HE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU OR HEARD FROM YOU!!!! THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!!!! YOU KILLED HIM!!!!!”
Headline couldn't contain himself and took all the blame on his father.
“So...you knew?”
“Yeah, this is yours.” Headline took out an Assassin emblem and tossed it at him.
“Listen, you have to understand, you should have left me there.”
“Why?”
“Do you think I disappeared because I wanted to? I had no choice. I did not know you before you were born. I just walked around until I heard the news about seeing you all. When you came to join us, I was happy to see my sons. But, this was all planned.
“By who?”
“I really can't say.”
“Who? WHO DAD? WHOOO?”
“I really can't say, but this has been going on longer then before you were born.”
Headline decided to listen to this story because he wants to trust his father with what he has to say.
“Listen, 15 years ago, Our family made a terrible deal with another family, the Boxers, when we asked for money.”
Now looking back 15 years ago, on a rainy day outside of Ponyville.
“Why of course we can help you.” The boxers said to the pagers. “We are willing to give you protection and money if you do the same by helping us complete some dangerous missions for us.”
“We can do just that.” Bold said to the boxers.
Returning to the present time.
“That did not sound so bad. How did it get worse?” Headline asked.
“Before I answer that, I created the Assassins. We went on the missions with my friends and completed these difficult tasks. I became the Master and was able to go home to my family and my wife, but what I did not know much about was that these missions were meant to get rid of us, permanently.” Bold almost did not want to say any more about this in fear of what Headline would do.
“So, why did they get rid of you?”
“Because...”
Going back now 13 years ago.
“You killed our families!” The Boxers said.
“You cannot blame me for this! My friends died on these missions, and you assigned me these dangerous missions.” Bold said to them.
“The newspapers have these stories you know, and detectives are looking for the culprits or in your case, culprit.”
“You crooked Bastard!” Bold said.
“Boo-hoo Bold, you lost most of your money to us already and now you have nothing. So, here is the thing, if you tell the public about us and the Assassins, I will hand you over to the authorities and you will lose your pregnant wife.”
“NOOO!”
“But, But, if you work with us as a master puppet and do your job, no one will die. Your name, Bold, is no more. Instead, you will be named Master Zek.”
It did not take long for him to make this decision that he would rather have his family live then lose them.
“You give me no choice...You win, Boxers.”
Returning to the present time.
“So that's why.” Headline said realizing the truth.
“Exactly, if I told you when you came that I was your father, they would have killed you both, and for that matter, your mother as well and leave me to live.”
“It makes sense. That is why the Assassins wanted us.” In an angry response. “They wanted to use us as servants to make sure that we would not push back. I know his plan now, Zephyr Boxer is not planning to protect Equestria but rule Equestria with an iron hoof.”
“I'm sorry, son.” Bold said.
“I'm sorry I was not able to help you. Come, let's grieve the lost of your eldest son and my older brother.” Headline said as they both sat down on the ground the whole, entire, night grieving for the loss of somepony very dear to them both.