One Shot, One Chance

by SpeederClaw

Chapter 39: Playtime in Ponyville [Part 3]

Blitz kept his body parallel to the grassy ground as he slithered towards the exit of the hideout. Making as little noise as possible, he found himself inches away from freedom.

“You’re not leaving,” Trixie said as Blitz attempted to take a step outside. He licked his lips before addressing his caller.

“This isn’t like the last time. I’m not listening to you.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Trixie stood up and marched over. “This time I won’t hesitate to fry your brain from inside out.” Her face was inches from Blitz’s.

“You don’t even know how to do that-listen,” Blitz said moving away from the opening. “My friend is out there in the wild somewhere. All alone and messed up by that damn doctor. You expect me to sit here and give up? Give up my friend?” Blitz was breathing heavily, his eyes filled with murderous dread. “Do you really think that about me?”

Trixie raised a brow. “I expect you not to cause me anymore trouble. After that failure with Twilight-”

“You were going to kill her; to murder her. You’re sick in the head!”

“So? She deserved-”

“Nobody deserves death,” Blitz said hesitantly. “Nobody but that doctor!”

“Who is this doctor anyways?” Trixie asked furiously.

“Now, I am leaving and you can’t stop me.” Blitz ignored his former captor and waltzed back towards the hut exit. Upon leave, he felt a magical barrier crash against his face. A purple shield prevented Blitz’s escape into his quest.

“Don’t get overconfident, boy. I’m the more skilled one here,” Trixie said emphasizing her glowing horn.

“Sure about that?”

“You wanna try me?”

Blitz chuckled as he formulated the perfect comeback. “I’m sure Bloom already did.” Trixie’s face lit up a bright red and she let her mouth hang in awe. She instantly bit her lip and felt immense heat build in her forehead. Her magic started to crackle and the barrier began to wrinkle. Blitz winked before smashing through the faded barrier and made his way into the forest.

The screeches of a confused and upset mare left Blitz in a victory lap. He grinned maliciously as he escaped into the depths of the green. “Again, I’ve never been more sickened and more awesome than now.” The leaves crunched and the branches swayed. “I will kill that doctor if it’s the last thing I do.”

Twixie’s screams died off as Blitz was out of range and into his own madness. “I know where he’ll be creeping at.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Chains smashed the ground into oblivion as the masked pony jumped about. Silver snakes flew into the air, cutting through the wind as a bored mare kept Gray Shark at bay. “Listen, we don’t have all day. Why don’t you just get slapped and we’ll say you lost. Okay?”

Gray Shark stayed mute at Platinum Chain’s remark. He waved his sword gently as an act of disapproval. “Fine, have it your way.” Platinum Chain unleashed a chain head on at Gray Shark. He slashed away the weaponry only to be greeted by more. Ducking, strafing and blocking each chain shot, Gray Shark danced his way towards Platinum Chain.

“You’re a pretty skilled fighter,” he commented with a chain barely missing his face.

“Do you mean I’m a slightly better than average fighter, or are you calling me a pretty girl?”

Gray Shark’s reaction of mere stall left him receiving a blow straight to the face. His body flew back, but he managed to stay upright and caught the chain with his sword through a link. Using his falling momentum, he swung back and launched Platinum Chain towards him. With an exasperated sigh, Gray Shark elbowed the mare and sent her flying. His sword slipped back through the link and Platinum Chain ended up in a silvery pile of chains.

“Hah…” Platinum Chain muttered. “Are you blushing under that mask?”

“Hardly.”

“Well,” she said getting back up. “Soon you’ll be bleeding from it!”

Gray Shark grumbled before dodging another set of flying chains. This time, he observed how Platinum Chain attacked. With calculated judgment, he was able to surpass all instances of assault. Something’s off. She’s not giving the same vibes as the others, Gray Shark though aimlessly. Is she not- A chain found its target as Gray Shark stuttered back from the hit. He rubbed his cheek smugly.

“Losing focus already?” the mare taunted.

“Quit it, I’m going easy on you,” Gray Shark exclaimed.

Platinum Chain stuck her tongue out. “Sure.”

‘She doesn’t know how to kill,’ Gray Shark thought with comical relief. ‘So why is she with the Misfit Marauders?’ Gray Shark peered over at the confused mare. “Hey, why are you-ah!” Gray Shark dodged a side swipe from his blind eye. “Why are you with these guys?” he yelled tumbling across the ground.

“And why do I have to tell you?” Platinum Chain asked triumphantly. “Are you trying to distract me?”

“Because we can stop this fight right now,” Gray Shark answered calmly.

Platinum Chain cocked her head. “I just want a lil action. That’s all-”

“You sure ‘bout that?”

The mare was taken back. “Of course!” She eyed Gray Shark’s doubtful expression. “I’m just following this guy so he can help me with something later. You wait, he’ll pull through. We’re winning after all.”

Gray Shark scratched his head. “Is that why they are abandoning you at this current moment in time?”

“Wha?”

Gray Shark pointed sluggishly at the sky. Platinum Chain wrinkled her nose before following the direction of the hoof. Her mouth hung slightly. “Are you kidding me?”

~~~~~~~~~~

“How cowardly.” Pride watched in refined frustration as his prey had escaped him in the skies.

“Fly faster you fuck!” Sir Cutter X squealed as he clung onto Dust Crack flapping his legs in the air. “Higher!” The Misfit Marauder leader held onto life as multiple pegasi glided through the air carrying several passengers to sanctuary.

“Holy hell, get us outta here, sweetheart!” Joltaire said tugging at the struggling Sweet Pop.

“You’re heavy, fatso!” she replied in pants.

“Just get us outta here. Now!” Cutter X reimbursed. “Whoever is in this group right now is getting a damn promotion for keeping me alive alive, I swear!” Unaware and apprehensive eyes looked at one another. Only a handful of Misfit Marauders remained as they escaped the clutches of the sins. Pride retracted his purple sword and was about to return to his comrades when two more stallions staggered into the open. His rapier opened up.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s da man! Don’t yiz leave us!” Bull It Buster screeched to the dots in the sky. He waved his spinning guns in frustration.

“I do believe that we are on our own unfortunately. They seem to have abandoned us,” Doctor Rivet said catching up to his partner.

“Well hot damn on my dog, that ain’t right, boy!”Bull It Buster exclaimed. After a few seconds of hopeless, the crazed gunner finally noticed the orange stallion rushing him. “Ope, looks like we’re boned up the shafthole!” he cried readying himself to fire at the target.

“Erm-” Doctor Rivet choked on his response for Pride was preparing to end their lives.

“So,” Pride said stopping and waving his sword. The two stallions tensed up. “Are you two here to give chase or are you going to give me an actual-”

“Yuppee, that’s right. We’re out!” Bull It Buster blurted with a cranked up laugh. He lowered his guns and started to shuffle away. “No trouble, no siree. No trouble here massa!” Pride gained an unsatisfied look. “Thank you, kind sir. I’m going now! C’mon, doc, let’s skedaddle!”

The doctor didn’t need Bull It Buster’s cue to flee as the two instantly bolted into the forest. Pride stood alone in the open field as the dots in the sky had vanished. He twirled his sword before sheathing it once more with disappointment. Pride sighed heavily before returning to town. “This world really is full of cowards.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Well that was fun, see,” Greed said bashing his scepter into the ground with gusto. His smile reached to the end of his ears.

“No, that was disgusting,” Bloom exclaimed wiping red splotches off of his black attire. “I got blood all over my poor suit!”

“Like a drop, maybe. Least you’re not lathered in the stuff, eh?” Greed pointed to Wrath with his cane.

The blood covered stallion sunk his head. “I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t stop myself.”

“I know, sport,” Greed said softly. “You’re gonna need a pipin’ hot shower after this, eh?”

“I’m gonna need five,” Bloom said still flapping his hooves.

“Sure ya do, bigshot.”

“Excuse me.” The sins turned to a terrified guard.

Greed puffed his cheeks as he commented. “Heya. How ya doin’?”

Clyde tensed his body and gulped hard. “I-we-you-” Clyde paused to reestablish himself. “You killed all of them. Every single one of them.”

“Gotta do whatcha gotta do,” Greed said twirling his cane. “Speaking of which…” The sin faced the train and pranced joyfully towards his newly prized possession. “Sweet!”

“We had no choice,” Bloom said with a shrug. “Damn sham.”

Twilight Sparkle’s Face darkened. “There is always a choice.”

“Hey, you should be thankful,” Greed hollered at the top of the train. He pointed his cane at the sky then brought it down on the train. “Without our help you’d alls be road kill. See why?”

Twilight Sparkle bit her cheek. “Yes.”

“Good.” Greed clicked his tongue at the mare before returning to his glory. “We got some really good stuff goin’ on here, mhmm. Ahh yes, I can see it now. Me riding this thing into the sunset!”

“You guys are cool!” Dumbbell stated oblivious to the situation. Everybody looked at him with death stares. “Right Fluttershy?” He eyed the mare with certainty.

“Yeah…” Fluttershy eyed Wrath in particular with unwillingness. “Okay.”

Wrath bit his lip as Fluttershy gazed into his blood red eyes. He tried to smile but ended up withholding a stone hard frown. A stern mumble escaped his clenched mouth. Besides the short peep, the looming disturbance brought no attention to the sins. Wrath, Bloom and Greed stayed ignorant to the traumatic effect taking place on the mares and guards.

“Whatsmatter?” Greed said finally noticing the ambiance. “You ladies and gentlemen buggered out by some blood and guts?”

“I am,” Bloom said raising his hoof.

“It’s just that,” Clyde spoke with shaking caution. “We don’t see a lot of death around here-”

“I agree,” Blood said distastefully. “It’s simply awful to kill these scum in front of such lovely ladies.” He smiled as the mares found themselves in an even more uncomfortable state.

“Oh well. What’s done is done, see,” Greed said shrugging. He peered from atop the train and tapped his cane twice. “Where’s Pride?”

“Probably fell off a cliff,” Bloom said hopefully.

“Don’t count on it, Sloth.” Pride strode into the equation with a sluggish walk from nearby. His eyes were dull with discontempt.

“Dammit, it is Tony Bloom. Get it right, Pride!”

“Hah, didja catch your fish?” Greed asked rhetorically.

“No.”

Greed’s smile broke for a second. “Huh?”

“They got away.”

Greed and Bloom exchanged nervous glances while Wrath was still in a daze. “Ohhh…that’s bad,” they both said.

“In any case, Gray Shark is still missing. Our work here is done; he is not in this town. We could not locate him.”

‘Gray Shark,’ Clyde thought with alarm.

“That’s such a shame,” Bloom said sarcastically.

“Quite. A frustrating, but expected outcome-”

“Hey, w-we heard of a G-” Brass Dozer had his lips shut by Clyde as the larger guard frantically whispered. Clyde put a firm hoof on Brass Dozer’s shoulder before speaking himself.

“We heard of this Gray Shark before. Yes, now that I think about it-he was last seen in, uh, Canterlot,” Clyde said.

“But, eh, we already checked that place, see. We found nothin’.”

“Erm-” Clyde found his heart stop as everybody around him awaited a response.

“Well then, sorry for this inconvience,” Pride said adjusting his purple cape. “We’ll be departing now.”

“I’m taking this thing, Pride!” Greed called. The sin disappeared under the train and scratching sounds could be heard. A few minutes later and the train was already roaring with life.

“How the hell?” Bloom commented.

“Cuz I’m a creative wiz kid, slick.” Greed ushered the rest of the sins to board the train. Wrath and Bloom reluctantly entered while Pride merely waltzed along the side. He looked back at the terrified faces of the residents of Ponyville.

“Farewell.”

“All aboard the fail bo-uh, train, eh?” Greed said as the Death Divider hovered slowly away.

“Right. Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Bloom asked.

“Nope. I just hit them buttons, see, and this thing starts.”

“Because everything with you is just easy and you get everything,” Bloom stated.

“I’m Greedy.”

Wrath ignored the bickering between Greed and Bloom and peered hopefully out the window. He barely caught a glimpse of a faint wave from the yellow mare. His face sagged and he whipped himself back in the crawling train. “I hate this.”

“What you talking about? I got me a new toy!” Greed said in disbelief. “How can ya be upset?”

“He means the girl, stupid gilipollas!” Bloom said passionately.

“Lovely. Falling in love with horses 101.”

“I can’t help it,” Wrath stated with unease. “I like her.”

Greed temporarily lost his smile once more. “Absolutely disgusting, mac.”

“Oi, Greed, don’t ever poke fun at a man’s love for another girl!” Bloom said now strolling over to his companion.

“Whatever. You guys can go court horses all you want. That’s sick.”

“It looked like she was with that other guy. I hate him,” Wrath mumbled.

Bloom instantly turned around with tears in his eyes. “Ahh the tragic act of loving the loved! I can feel your pain swelling through you!”

Wrath groaned at Bloom’s love spiel, but also at what he conceived as truth. “It’s not fair.”

“Don’t getcha hopes up,” Greed said twirling his cane. “We’re coming back, mac, I can see it in this guy’s eyes.” He pointed outside to Pride. “He knows.”

“Gray Shark is in this town,” Pride said. “And we’re going to find him.”