//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Reminisce // Story: Reminisce : Swift Slash's Shadow // by Neon //------------------------------// "Sir, we have found where he is!" A minion said with his buddy, running up to their master at his throne. "Is he in Ponyville?" Francis asked. "Yes! He's also a pimp!" One minion smacked the other. "What he means is he is around a lot of ponies. He's never alone." "Do you know where he lives?" "We have suspicion he lives in Cloudsdale with a weather mare." "Do they have feelings for each other?" "We're not sure." "Find out! If they are, capture this mare and leave him a note telling him where to come to rescue her. We can't kill him if he's around a lot of ponies! We need to draw him out!" "Yes sir!" *** Rainbow Dash and Swift had been living together for a month now. To Rainbow's surprise, Swift was clean, organized, nice, and generous. He cleaned after himself, cleaned the house when Rainbow wasn't around, and paid the bills when Rainbow needed help with them. He was not nearly as bad as everypony made him out to be. The two have been getting along real nicely, and Swift started developing caring feelings for Rainbow. He would protect her from any danger, as if her bodyguard. Rainbow was the only pony that Swift cared for and could talk to. One day, his feelings for Rainbow had been challenged.... Swift opened Rainbow's door and entered the house. He had been invited to a party and wanted to see if Rainbow wanted to go.... "Rainbow! You there? Rainbow!....." Swift called out. He looked in every room, every corner, every crack. He couldn't find her. "RAAAAAAAINBOOOOOOW!?" Swift bellowed. Nothing. He looked in the last place he hadn't checked yet. The Bedroom. Swift entered the bedroom, and to his surprise, nopony was there. What WAS there, was a note. It read. To find your special pony, make sense to this change of events, blood on the walls is our master plan, Then find your mare back where you began..... "Those sons of bitches...." 'They filly-napped Rainbow!' Swift thought to himself, while flying towards Ponyville. To find my special pony, make sense to this change of events....blood on the walls is their master plan, find Rainbow back where I began....!!! Flashback! He turned around to see the words YOU'RE NEXT in blood on the wall.... "They took her to Anvil..." **** "You'll never get away with this!" Rainbow yelled at the minions. "Aw, shut up ya dumb bitch!" The minion spat. "What did you just call me?!" "Did I st-u-u-ter?" These minions were sarcastic little bastards. "Swift is going to murder you little foals, I swear it!" Rainbow said. "Keep yapping, nopony is listening." *** Swift grabbed his arsenal from his chest, and began his journey to Anvil. This time, he was completely healthy, full of energy, but most importantly, full of rage. He flew through the night's breezy air, with ease. He had it in his mind to completely annihilate every Guardian that gets in his way. He got to Anvil in no time. He made his way up to the old Assassin headquarters. Everypony who was once dead on the floor was now gone, even his father. The blood that once stained the floors and walls was all gone. The only thing that remained, was the message that had made him cringe. The words 'YOU'RE NEXT' painted on the wall with blood. It was stained. It was faded, but it would remain there forever. There was a note on his father's desk. It read: Good! You figured it out. No more riddles, sorry! Anyway, your precious mare is with us, at our headquarters. You want her? come get her! Swift was angrier than ever. He had traveled all this way to find that he had to go someplace else. He was filled with pure anger. In fact, he was: 0% luck 25% skill 20% concentrated power of will 5% pleasure 50% pain and he was going to give the Guardians a 100% reason to remember his name. He took off in a heartbeat, flying towards the Guardians headquarters. He had never flown this fast before, the power of friendship is sure as hell something. It didn't take him long to get there. When he landed in front of the master Guardian's throne, he left cracks in the ground. There the Guardian master was, sitting at the top of his throne. Rainbow was shackled in chains next to the throne chair. The master Guardian was petting Rainbow's mane as if she were his pet. "Ah, Swift Slash, we FINALLY meet face-to-face!" Francis said. "Get your filthy hooves off of Rainbow!" Swift demanded. "What? Do you love her?" Francis mocked. "You could say that...." Swift admitted. "So, would you mind if I..." Francis cut off, going in to kiss Rainbow. Swift charged at Francis, both his hidden blades drawn, ready to turn Francis into a ka-bob. Before he got to stabbing distance, two huge Guardian minions drew their spears in front of Swift's path, slowing him down. "So, you're too much of a coward to kill me by yourself, eh?" "What are you talking about? They're here to make sure you don't cheat!" Francis said, then leaping out of his throne chair. Francis pulled out his prized possession. It was a huge, doubled sided battleaxe. Not only was it sharp and pointy, it was on fire. "Wow.....what a rip off," Swift said. Francis swung his ax at Swift. Swift jumped over it and hacked down with his sword. The sound of metal-on-metal filled the air. Rainbow was being guarded by the two other Guardians, to make sure she doesn't try anything. She was rooting for Swift, but the Guardians shut her up. Every time Francis swung, Swift had no choice but to dodge it. If he tried to deflect it, the immense weight of the ax would over power Swift's sword, disarming him. He also couldn't afford to get hit from the ax either. If the impact didn't kill him, his burning robes would. Swift had thought that Francis was poorly trained with fighting, since he sat on his ass all day. But Francis could kick some flank. Francis kept swinging, Swift kept dodging. Swift was waiting for the moment to strike, but Francis wouldn't let that happen. When Swift saw he wasn't going anywhere with this, he flew past Francis and cut the chains off Rainbow and picked her up. She was severely weakened by the Guardians, so she wasn't capable of flying. Once he passed Francis with Rainbow in his hooves, Swift stabbed him in the shoulder blade, and pushed him face down into the ground. "Get him!" Francis yelled, then coughed and grasped for air. He spat out blood. Four Guardians flew after Swift with bows and arrows. Francis stayed back, Swift had penetrated deep enough to stab Francis in the lung. He wasn't capable of flying after Swift. Swift flew with Rainbow in his arms, the only thing he cared about, was getting Rainbow to safety. The four Guardians still chased Swift, firing arrows at him. He dodged every attempt. "*Cough* Th-thank you, Swift," Rainbow croaked. "No problem, Rainbow Dash," Swift said. Rainbow went in for a kiss, Swift saw and went in to meet her halfway. The second their lips touched, Swift felt a sharp, hot, stabbing pain in his right wing. He looked back to see that an arrow that was on fire had hit his wing. He collapsed. When he fell, he made sure Rainbow landed on top of him. When he hit the ground, he grunted. He had got the wind knocked out of him. Rainbow got off of him right away, and looked at Swift, crying. "SWIFT! Are you okay?" Rainbow asked. Swift wheezed. "Yeah...I'm fine! Don't worry." Rainbow kneeled over Swift hugging him, and said: "Swift, I...I love you." 'She...she loves me? She loves me!' "I....I-" Swift said, then saw something in the corner of his eye. He pushed Rainbow off of him, and embraced for an impact. Another arrow, on fire, had been launched and penetrated his heart. Swift eyes opened widely with shock, then his eyes closed slowly. "Swift? SWIFT? SWIFT!!!!" Rainbow yelled, crying. Swift had died ***** As Rainbow lay sprawled over Swift's grave, crying, she sung a song. "So trot with me through the Autumn leaves, And keep close to stay warm..... Soon you'll see how much you mean to me.... Feelings I've never felt before....." The End