Eagle woke the next day, surprisingly okay. He had gone through the night without any nightmares, and he wasn’t sweating profusely as he normally would be on some nights. In fact, his dreams were filled with visions of him being together with Rainbow Dash. What made the dreams so much better was the small filly that followed the two through the skies. It was a daughter for the two Pegasi. Eagle could only wish for that day to come true.

Soon enough, Eagle was going to propose to Rainbow Dash. He knew that it would happen in the coming days, he just knew it. All he had to plan out was when and where he would do it. But as far as he was concerned, sooner or later, he would ask her. And she would say yes. And they would be married.

And then, just maybe, he could let go of the Assassin once and for all.

Eagle pulled himself out of bed and headed straight for the Nest. He did a quick check of how his city was doing. Everything seemed to be in order. Just the way Eagle liked to start his mornings. Eagle exited the Nest and headed into the kitchen.

Shortly after preparing breakfast, a knock came from the door. Eagle answered it to find Sharp Side at his doorstep. The two stallions greeted each other in their usual way as Eagle allowed his friend to enter the apartment. Eagle noticed that there was a grey and white briefcase on Sharp Side’s back, drawing a great deal of curiosity from the Pegasus. The Unicorn laid the briefcase down on the table and then sat down on the couch.

“Um, hey?” Eagle greeted, slightly confused.

“I’ve got good news my friend. I finished my armor,” Sharp Side informed his friend. Eagle raised an eyebrow.

“Huh? How’d you do that so quickly?”

“I figured that I needed to finish it sooner or later. This way, you can stop being the Assassin, and I can start being my own hero. I’ll determine a name later on.” Eagle let out a chuckle, to which Sharp Side raised his eyebrow.

“Sharp, I’m not finished being the Assassin. When are you gonna get it through your head?”

“I’m not. I can’t. If you won’t stop being the Assassin, I’ll give you a reason to do so.”

Sharp Side used his magic to place the briefcase on the floor. He stood up and stomped on the top of the case, starting a chain reaction. The briefcase started contorting around Sharp Side’s body, creating armor for the Unicorn. The plating was a mixture of grey and white, and it seemed to be quite heavy. For Sharp Side though, the materials were extremely light.

Once the armor had finished forming, a large gun mounted itself on Sharp Side’s back. On one side was a machine gun, while on the other was a small rocket launcher. Sharp Side then used the suits propulsion system to float in the air. He then slid out two sharp blades from the tips of his front hooves. As he finished showing off his weapons, a helmet formed over his face, with nothing but two piercing red eyes.

“You like?” Sharp Side asked, his voice slightly mechanical now.

“Um… well, yeah, I guess. But I don’t think you understand. Just because you’ve got some cool armor and a few new toys doesn’t mean I’m going to stop being the Assassin,” Eagle told his friend. Sharp Side let out a heavy sigh.

“I was afraid you’d say that. Allow me to demonstrate then.” Without warning, Sharp Side flew towards Eagle Eye, catching him completely off guard. The armored Unicorn crashed his friend into the wall, knocking the wind out of Eagle Eye.

“Are you crazy?!” Eagle ruthlessly tried to knee his friend in the gut, but he only managed to hurt himself by trying to attack the armored pony. “What the hell is that stuff?!”

“Tough huh? It’s completely made of titanium metal, and enhanced with incredibly strong magical properties. It’s much more resilient than your armor. Which, by the way, you won’t be needing anymore.” Sharp Side aimed his rocket launcher towards the Nest. But Eagle was quick to throw Sharp Side to the ground. He then pulled the Unicorn over to the window and threw him out, smashing it to pieces. Sharp Side recovered by floating in the air.

“What’s wrong Eagle Eye?! Afraid you’ve finally met your match?!” Sharp Side asked mockingly.

“Sharp Side, what the hell has gotten into you?!” Eagle asked angrily.

“You have, you bucking moron! You’re arrogance is going to cost you your life! And if that won’t do it, I will! Either you stop with your heroics, or I’ll end it for you!” Eagle didn’t want to fight his friend, but he couldn’t give up his mantle either. The choice was clear.

Eagle rushed into the Nest, quickly putting on his gear and readying himself for the battle to come. He flew outside using the exit in the roof, but was quickly met with gunfire from Sharp Side. He was quick enough to close the gap between the two flying adversaries.

Eagle unleashed a flurry of fast punches to the armored stallion, but Sharp Side simply smashed his head into Eagles and stunned the Pegasus. Sliding out one of his arm blades, Sharp Side began to slash away at Eagle Eye. But the hooded Assassin was quick to defend himself with his own hidden blades.

Having been more experienced with the blades, Eagle had a far better advantage in this respect. He moved Sharp Side’s blade to the side and began slashing away at his armor. Not even a scratch was delivered. Eagle was only met with a wicked slash across the chest. He began to plummet, but quickly recomposed himself.

“Sharp Side, this is insane! Stop this, please!” Eagle shouted. His answer came in the form of rocket fire. Multiple rockets came flying towards the Pegasus, but Eagle was quick to act. He flew out of the way of two of the rockets, then shot the rest out of the sky with his sniper rifle. He was then quick enough to block a slash from Sharp Side with his bayonet.

Pushing the armored stallion away, Eagle began firing off bullets at his hovering foe. The bullets did nothing but bounce off the armor. Sharp Side flew forward and tackled his adversary to the ground. Sharp Side then began to pummel away at the Assassin.

“You’re done Eagle Eye! The age of the Assassin is over!” he shouted.

“Sharp Side… please stop…” Eagle said, barely able to breathe. His beating didn’t end. Sharp Side continued to pound away at the Assassin. Sharp Side then lifted one hoof in the air and slid out one of his blades. He was ready to end the life of his best friend, right then and there.

Eagle was barely quick enough to use his wing blades to block the attack. Then, without having to think, he slid out his hookblade, pulled off Sharp Side’s helmet, and drove the blade into his friend’s throat. Sharp Side’s eyes widened in surprise as he started to gag and spit up blood. Eagle then fully realized what he had done.

Sharp Side fell to the ground, his armor starting to retract from his body all of a sudden. The armor broke apart into multiple pieces at first, and then evaporated into nothing. The Assassin shakily got up and held the head of his dying best friend.

“Nonononononono! Sharp Side, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t… I didn’t… I swear I didn’t…” Eagle couldn’t even utter a complete sentence. Sharp Side held his friend’s hoof in his own.

“It… it’s alright Eagle. This is my fault. I went insane trying to get you to quit. It was wrong of me. I deserve this…” Sharp Side said.

“No, no you don’t. You were only thinking about what was best for me. I’m gonna get help for you.” Eagle threw off his mask and looked into his best friend’s eyes. “You hear me?”

“Eagle… it’s alright. Just please… stop being the Assassin…” Sharp Side was practically begging at this point.

“I…… I can’t.” Eagle’s response weighed heavily on his dying friend. “That doesn’t matter! I’m not letting you die on me! No way!”

“It’s over Eagle Eye. We’ve been through a lot these past few years. It’s been a hell of a time. Good luck with Rainbow Dash. You’ll make a fine father someday.” Eagle couldn’t hold back the tears. “Come on, don’t be a pussy,” Sharp Side joked. Eagle let out a chuckle from behind his tears.

“Just… don’t ever let her…” Sharp Side never got to finish his sentence, as he took his final breath. The green stallion rested in Eagle Eye’s arms, lifeless. Eagle cried even harder, then let out a shout of anguish. His best friend was gone.

In the coming days, a service was held for the fallen stallion. Sharp Side’s mother and brother were there to mourn their fallen family member. All of Sharp Side’s relatives were there as well. Even Rainbow Dash attended. But the one pony who wasn’t in attendance was the one who killed him.

And that same stallion had been branded a murderer. Or at least, his alter ego had been branded as such. The news was all over the story. The Assassin had murdered an innocent stallion, in cold blood, so the story went. No pony truly knew what had transpired the morning that Sharp Side was killed.

Now, the Assassin had lost a great deal of respect. Not just from Manehattan, but from all of Equestria. Some ponies knew that the Assassin was still a hero at heart, but others thought that this kill was a sign of the Assassin’s true nature. This was a new age for the Assassin. One he would get through, somehow.

Eagle Eye rested in his apartment, sitting on his couch, doing nothing. He was just moping around. The guilt that now rested in Eagle’s heart had been practically tripled at this point. He had lost everypony he held dear. All except for Rainbow Dash. And as it just so happened, she was on her way to Eagle Eye’s apartment.

A knock came from the door, signaling Eagle’s attention towards the source of the noise.

“It’s open,” he said without energy. The door opened and Rainbow Dash entered, closing the door behind her.

“Hey,” Rainbow greeted her coltfriend quietly.

“Hey,” Eagle Eye replied.

“You know that today was Sharp Side’s funeral, right?” she asked him. Eagle nodded. “Why weren’t you there? You could have at least watched from afar, cliché as that may have been.”

“I killed him Rainbow Dash. You think I’d want to go to the funeral of the stallion I killed. He was my best friend! You think I can live with that?!”

“I don’t expect you to. I’m just saying, the least you could have done was attended his service.”

“Dash, he’s dead because of me! Because I was too stubborn to let go of my bucking responsibilities!”

“Then why won’t you let go now?!” Rainbow was becoming agitated with her lover now. Eagle stood up and looked angrily at her. Rainbow didn’t step back. In fact, she got closer to him, trying to stare him down.

“Because it is still my responsibility to be the Assassin,” Eagle answered.

“No. No it isn’t. Not anymore Eagle Eye,” Rainbow said, her tone completely serious.

“Yes, it is!” Eagle shouted stomping his hoof on the ground. Eagle then randomly picked up Rainbow Dash and flew out with her into the skies of Manehattan.

“Eagle, what are you doing?!” she shouted at him, trying to break free of his grip. He didn’t let go.

Once Eagle had found a nice spot to set themselves down, he did just that. He dropped down on a rooftop, to which he received a swift punch in the gut.

“What is wrong with you?!” Rainbow shouted.

“My life, that’s what!” Eagle and Rainbow stared into each other’s eyes, neither of them faltering for a second. But then, suddenly, Eagle broke down in tears. “I can’t do this anymore Rainbow Dash. I just can’t.” Rainbow moved over to his side and wrapped her wings around him.

“Hey, it’s alright. You don’t have to do this anymore. The Assassin is finished. He’s in the past. You did what you had to do. And now, you can move on.” Eagle pushed her away.

“No… Dash, you don’t understand. I can’t do… this anymore,” Eagle said, gesturing back and forth between himself and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow didn’t understand.

“W-What?” she asked.

“I can’t be with you anymore!” Eagle said quickly, his words like bullets to Rainbow Dash.

“W-Why?” she asked, on the verge of tears herself.

“I just can’t. If I ever hurt you, or if you were ever hurt because my enemies knew about you… I… I could never forgive myself.”

“Eagle, all you have to do is stop being the Assassin. It’s easy.”

“No. I can’t give up being the Assassin. It’s my destiny to protect this world. It’s who I am now Dash. I can’t give that up. But what I have to give up is you. I’m sorry.” Rainbow couldn’t hold back her tears. She threw herself at Eagle Eye, trying to find comfort in his arms. But he rejected her.

“Please… don’t say that Eagle Eye. I love you! I love you so much! I want to be with you forever!” she confessed.

“M-Me too Rainbow Dash…” Eagle replied, pulling out from his wings a ring. Rainbow’s spine tingled with joy and sadness. “I want to be with you forever too… but I can’t.” Eagle threw the ring off the building. Rainbow watched it until it disappeared.

“Eagle… please don’t say this is over. P-Please don’t,” Rainbow begged, her voice cracking twice. Eagle turned his head away from her.

“I’m so sorry Rainbow Dash… but I have to.” But as Rainbow threw herself at him once again, he allowed it one last time. She cried heavily into his fur.

“I love you Eagle Eye! Please don’t leave me!” Rainbow begged.

“I love you too Rainbow Dash,” Eagle started, lifting her head up and kissing her on the lips. “But that’s why I have to let you go.” Eagle walked away and stepped onto the edge of the rooftop. He looked back at Rainbow Dash one more time. Rainbow took a deep breath and nodded at him, even managing to crack a small smile at him. Eagle did the same, lowering his head for a moment as he continued to cry.

Before anymore words could be spoken, Eagle flew off into the skies of Manehattan. At the same time, Rainbow Dash flew off back to Ponyville. Rainbow looked back to see Eagle flying to his apartment, then suddenly coming back out after having dawned his Assassin attire.

Something deep down inside Rainbow Dash told her that this was how it had to be, as much as she hated to admit that fact. The Assassin couldn’t just disappear. Equestria needed him. Rainbow Dash needed him. She knew who he was deep down.

She knew that he was the Assassin, now and forever. But more importantly, she knew who he truly was.

Author's Notes:

It's finished! I finally finished it! Eagle Eye is complete!

I apologize for being lazy and ending the story like this, rather than finishing it like I truly intended to do so. But, sadly, I just do not have the ambition to do so. I hope that this ending is suitable for the purposes of the story.

Regardless of my laziness, this story truly was a blast to write, given all the ups and downs. I regard this as being one of my best stories, given the time I actually did put into writing this. So, to all of you who have followed the story, I thank you all very much and hope you enjoyed the tale of Eagle Eye.