From that moment forward, Eagle Eye became a changed stallion. His father took him to visit the graves of Sky Dove and Ruby. The funeral had already taken place two weeks ago, and Eagle Eye was in the hospital at the time. But, just seeing those graves madehim cry like a child. No matter what Fire Streak tried to do, Eagle couldn’t stop crying. Eagle Eye kept calling to them from the great beyond, only for his calls to be responded to by silence. He didn’t just lose his family, but also a part of himself. Eagle Eye had changed.

He was no longer a happy stallion, living an ordinary life with no complaints. Eagle considered himself very lucky to live the great life he led. He had family, friends, a job that got him money, and he lived in a great place. He had everything he could need. But, the Dark Flames of Heaven took away from him what he cared about most. They took his family. Sure, he still had his father, but Fire Streak was just one stallion. Eagle Eye cried every night for his mother and sister for an entire week.

Even Rainbow Dash could not help Eagle. They had just been reunited, and not even that thought was enough to keep him going. He was now once again in a relationship with the mare of his dreams, but it did nothing to help his condition. The first time she paid a visit to his house wasn’t what Rainbow Dash was expecting. Instead of being greeted by a loving stallion, she was greeted with only silence and a stallion looking out his bedroom window. Rainbow thought it best to just leave him be.

However, at the end of the first week, Rainbow Dash paid another visit to Eagle Eye, but this time, she was going to get him to speak. She entered his room after being let into the house by Fire Streak. Rainbow sat next to Eagle on his bed as he stared out the window. His concentration was broken, and he turned to face her, only to stare at the floor moments later.

“Eagle Eye?” Rainbow spoke. He just continued to look to the floor. “Hey, I’m here for you,” she continued. She rested her head on his shoulder. Moments later, he started to cry.

“Dash… they’re gone. I don’t know what to do anymore. I haven’t left my room in one week. I haven’t touched my novel, I’ve barely spoken to my father and Sharp Side, and all I can do is look out this bucking window and cry.”

“You lost your mother and sister Eagle. Nopony blames you for being sad. I know you Eagle, but I’ve never seen you like this. The stallion I knew was a strong, devoted, and loving stallion. But, now, I just can’t help but feel that I’ve lost the old Eagle Eye.” Eagle turned to look at Rainbow Dash as she rested on his shoulder. He rested his head next to her and continued to cry.

“I’m sorry Dash. I just don’t feel the same. Those damn Dark Flames took from me what I cared the most about. I loved my mother and sister like no other ponies in all of Equestria. They meant so much to me. I did whatever I had to do to make sure that they were safe and happy. I wasn’t there to save them though, and now they’re gone. I can’t do anything about that, and just knowing that is tearing me apart.” Rainbow wrapped her right wing around him, holding him close. She looked up to him, and he looked back down to her.

“Eagle, just know that, if you need somepony, I’m here for you,” Rainbow said, smiling up to him. Her crimson eyes started to sparkle as tears started to form. Eagle Eye couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“I didn’t know you could be so compassionate,” Eagle joked. She playfully nudged him with her elbow.

“Well, I am the Element of Loyalty after all. Part of that means being loyal to my friends, especially the ones I’m closest with. I know we’ve only just gotten back together, but it feels like just yesterday that we broke up. I love you Eagle Eye, and I’m here for you no matter what.” Eagle Eye smiled into her gleaming eyes.

“Thanks Dash. I love you too.” Eagle felt himself lying down on his bed. It was pretty late in the day, and now he was getting tired. Rainbow unwrapped her wing from around Eagle Eye and lied down next to him. They snuggled together under the covers of Eagle Eye’s bed.

“How have you been sleeping?” Rainbow asked.

“Not good. I’ve been having nonstop nightmares, and I barely get any sleep,” he responded.

“Well, I’m here for you now. Just fall asleep,” Rainbow said. Her words soothed Eagle into a deep slumber. Rainbow fell asleep shortly after. They fell asleep in each other’s arms. That night would be the best sleep Eagle Eye had gotten during that whole week.

That one night of sleep with Rainbow Dash rejuvenated Eagle Eye, but he still wasn’t back to his old self. He never would get back to being his old self, but now, he was a little better. Rainbow Dash started to visit Eagle Eye daily, and little by little, he got better. This went on for one entire month. But, the morning that followed the night that Eagle and Rainbow fell asleep together, Eagle decided to pay a visit to his best friend Sharp Side.

Sharp Side hadn’t been holding up well either. He had just started a relationship with Ruby, only to lose her within the first few days of the relationship. What made it worse was that Sharp Side had developed genuine feelings of love for Ruby. For her to suddenly be taken away like how she was devastated Sharp Side, but not nearly as much as Eagle Eye.

Eagle headed to Sharp Side’s garage to find him skulking over his knives. To Eagle Eye, it looked like his best friend was doing okay. It had been a month since Eagle had seen Sharp Side, but even so, Sharp Side looked fine. He didn’t look perfect, but good enough. Eagle greeted his friend.

“Hey, Sharp Side,” he said. Sharp Side turned to see his best friend standing before him.

“Eagle Eye, I…” Sharp Side started, but his words were lost in amazement.

“You alright?” Eagle asked.

“Yeah, I’m just surprised to see you again. Look man, I’m sorry for what happened to your mother and…” Sharp Side couldn’t say her name.

“Ruby?”

“Yeah, Ruby.” Eagle Eye noticed a tear roll down Sharp Side’s cheek. “I loved her Eagle. For her to be taken like that, it wasn’t fair. But who am I to say that I miss her more than you do? She was your sister, and I was just the stallion she was dating.”

“You were anything but just the stallion she was dating Sharp Side. She loved you just as much as she loved her family. To know that you actually loved her as much as you did makes me happy for the both of you,” Eagle responded. Sharp Side smiled at him.

“Thanks Eagle. I really couldn’t ask for a better best friend than you,” Sharp Side said. Eagle Eye walked over to him. They wrapped each other in a brotherly hug. It didn’t feel weird to them at all. They were practically brothers, and they had both lost somepony very important to them. Releasing from their hug, Eagle started to look over everything that was on Sharp Side’s workbench.

“I see you’ve been getting a lot done,” Eagle said sarcastically.

“Yeah, not really. I haven’t been able to concentrate at all lately. With everything that’s happened, I can’t think straight. My thoughts are always clouded with anger and hatred. All I want is to do something, but I’m not a fighter,” Sharp Side responded. Suddenly, Eagle Eye’s mind sparked with thoughts of an idea, revenge, and hatred.

“But I am,” he said. Sharp Side turned to Eagle.

“What?” he asked.

“Sharp Side, you know as well as anypony else that knows me that I have wanted to do something about the Dark Flames of Heaven for a long time now. I was always talked down by my family, and of course, I never had a reason to go after them. I knew well enough that I wouldn’t have a chance against them. But, now, I have a reason to go after them. I have a reason to fight. So, why don’t we fight them? Let’s do something about this Sharp Side. Let’s make a change in the world and put an end to these bastards once and for all.” Eagle spoke with so much confidence that Sharp Side had never heard before.

“Eagle, you’re just one stallion. What good can you do alone?” Sharp Side asked.

“I’ve heard many tales of great and powerful armies falling to a single pony. Whether they fought with guns-a-blazing or they took out the armies sneakily and quietly, armies have fallen to the hooves of one pony alone. I for one enjoy being silent and stealthy, but I’m good enough of a fighter that I can take down multiple opponents without breaking a sweat. With some training and kick flank equipment, I can become something better. I can take down the Dark Flames of Heaven.” Eagle Eye’s words started to inspire Sharp Side.

“Well, I do have a talent at making cool equipment. But, why not just be a hero or something then?”

“Two reasons: One, being a hero is cliché, and Two, heroes don’t kill. I intend to kill every last one of these buckers.”

“Eagle, you’re not a killer.”

“Ponies can change Sharp Side.”

“Alright, but what would you call yourself?” Eagle Eye looked to the sky and thought on a title. The best thing he could come up with was what he was going to become.

“The Assassin,” he answered. Sharp Side smiled and nodded.

“I like it. So, when do we get started?”

And so, an entire month went by. The first few days after Eagle Eye’s plan was unveiled to Sharp Side were spent by the two discussing what they would be doing in the future, like tactics, targets, and other assassin things. The day would be spent by Eagle at Sharp Side’s house, and then at night, Rainbow Dash would visit and keep him company. And little by little, Eagle was actually becoming whole again.

What made everything great as well was that Fire Streak didn’t suspect a thing about Eagle Eye. Fire Streak in fact thought that this was Eagle getting himself back to normal. He was right, in a sense. However, Fire Streak still got occupied with work. He didn’t have much time to spend with Eagle now, but Eagle didn’t really care. He was too busy planning his courses of action.

One of the more exciting days spent by Eagle and Sharp Side during that month was the day that the two discussed Eagle Eye’s equipment and gear. It was a normal meeting between Sharp Side and Eagle Eye. Eagle entered Sharp’s garage and closed the door behind him.

“Alright Sharp Side, what’s on the menu for today?” Eagle asked, approaching his friend.

“I’m glad you asked my friend. Today, we will be discussing your equipment, such as weapons, tools, and an outfit.” Eagle perked up.

“Sweet. So, what have we got so far?” Eagle approached Sharp Side’s workbench.

“I’ve got quite a bit to work with so far. First off, I have by far what I consider to be my coolest knife design yet. It’s basically a blade that you can slide in and out of a sheath on your hoof.” Eagle Eye just looked at Sharp Side confusedly. “Let me show you.” Sharp Side strapped on a leather bracer with what appeared to be a knife attached to it. Shortly after, Sharp Side slapped his forehoof out, and a double-edged blade slid out of the sheath. Eagle Eye’s mouth and eyes flew and shot open respectively.

“I want one,” was all Eagle Eye had to say.

“I knew you would,” Sharp Side responded. He slid the blade back into the sheath by simply lifting his forehoof. “But, why stop with one?” Sharp Side used his magic to bring up another blade. Eagle smiled at the two weapons.

“Man, that is bucking awesome. So, how do they work?” Eagle asked.

“I’m glad you asked my friend! Let old Sharp Side show you how to work the hidden blade!”

“That’s what you’re calling them?”

“Yeah. I think it fits the ticket, don’t you?” Eagle couldn’t help but agree. It really was the perfect name. The blades were concealed beyond belief, and from what Eagle Eye could tell, they were sharp as hell.

“Alright, just show me how to work them.” Sharp Side helped Eagle strap on one of the blades to his left hoof.

“Ok, so basically, the blade works with your hoof motions. By forcefully flicking your forehoof once, the blade will slide out. Try it.” Eagle did as Sharp Side had instructed, and quite suddenly, the sharp blade slid out of the mechanism. “Now, if you do the same thing again, you will slide out a secondary sheath to the blade.”

“What?” Eagle asked confusedly.

“Just do it.” Eagle simply shrugged and flicked his hoof again. Another blade slid over the first blade. But, this blade was a bit thicker, and instead of being sharp at the tip, there was a hook.

“What’s with the hook?”

“I call it the hookblade. The right blade does the same thing. I basically took into consideration how these things could be used for navigation. The hooks have an amazing grip, and can basically latch onto just about anything, or anypony.” Eagle Eye raised a curious eyebrow at his friend.

“Anypony you say?”

“Yep. Along with the secondary sheath for the hookblade being as sharp as the normal hidden blade, the hook itself is quite lethal. You can grab ponies with it and pull them in for a deadly strike. Or, for navigational purposes, you could use a clothes line in the skylines to zip line across the rooftops. You could also simply use the blade to trip or flip over somepony. The blade really does have a lot of applications to it.”

“What about climbing?” Eagle asked.

“Like I said, it can latch onto just about anything. If you find grab points for climbing, you could surely use the blades to climb. But, you’re a Pegasus, so why would you need to climb?” Sharp Side asked.

“Well, the last time I went to Canterlot, some of the Royal Guards were wearing these, well, blades on their wings. They were literally wing blades. They fanned in and out just like their normal wings, and they looked to be sharp as hell. I was wondering if you could make me a set.” Sharp Side was really interested in this idea. He had never heard of blades that could be worn on a Pegasus’ wings.

“I could definitely try to make you a set. I can work out a design to fit you, and sharpness isn’t a problem for me. But, now I see why you were wondering about the climbing. I’m going to assume that the wing blades will tamper with your flying.”

“From what I saw, it was a slight problem. The Pegasi guards could fly, but they were limited. I won’t be able to fly my fastest with the blades on, so I will need to be able to get around in some other ways. The hookblades will be good for navigation, like you said.” Sharp Side nodded to his friend and continued to review some of the other aspects of Eagle Eye’s equipment.

“Now, what about concealment?” Sharp Side asked.

“Well, I was always a fan of wearing a hood. My problem was that my mane would always keep my hoods from staying on for long periods of time. I would always have to readjust. Can you think of anything?” Eagle asked.

“Well, a hood won’t be enough. A balaclava would only make your mane uncomfortable,” Sharp Side started. He took a moment to ponder on some ideas. A light bulb suddenly went off in his head. “I think I got it. A balaclava won’t do much to protect your face either, so I can make you a metal mask to cover your muzzle. If I can manage it though, I should be able to work out a way for you to clip the mask onto your face, and at the same time, have it sort of jut out with a mechanism to hold your mane down, comfortably of course. However, what is your preference for your eyes?” Sharp Side asked.

“I’d rather that they be revealed. I can use my eye color change trick to make my eyes red when I go out on missions so nopony will know my real eye color. This whole idea of yours though does sound pretty cool. If you can make it work, I would be glad to use it,” Eagle responded. Sharp Side nodded and moved on to another important aspect.

“What about your body?” he asked.

“Well, to get a hood, I will need something like a sweatshirt. My old one would work fine, and it has a perfect hood. It’s pure white, which I like. But, I think I might strap on two tail ends to cover my hind legs. They could be red too, just for a bit of accent.”

“Alright. I could probably find some lightweight padding for you to protect your body from bullets and knife swipes. I can also make some bracers for the blades to protect your hooves. Oh, and I just remembered, we will need something for your tail. I can probably make a set of lightweight chain mail for you, if that’s alright?” Eagle nodded in response. “Alright then, are we missing anything else?” Sharp Side asked. Eagle Eye looked to him with a weird smile.

“Do you still have that weird gun model?” Eagle Eye asked.

“Uh, yeah, it’s over there.” Sharp Side pointed to the still unfinished gun model. Eagle Eye observed the weapon and finalized his idea.

“I think I’m going to design my own rifle,” Eagle said.

“Eagle, designing a gun is a complex process. Are you sure you’re up to doing that?”

“I’ve decided to risk my life to get some revenge by being an assassin, and you’re asking me if I’m up to making a gun design?” Sharp Side realized the stupidity in his question, so he simply nodded.

“Very well then. You make the design, and I can build the gun. You can, of course, help me along the way. But, aside from all of this, I think we have covered everything we need to get you going. We’ve got your battle strategies down, your sneaky moves are excellent, and your targets are set. All we need to really do now is get your gear and equipment ready for use. This should take us at least three weeks to do. Hopefully, by the end of this month, you’ll be ready to take the fight to the Dark Flames.” Sharp Side’s words could only make Eagle Eye even happier.

“Awesome,” Eagle responded. He looked back to the workbench. “I say we get started now.”

“I agree,” Sharp Side responded.

After that day, the steady process of readying Eagle Eye’s equipment began. Eagle worked on his outfit and his gun design. He had dubbed his design to be for what he called a sniper rifle. Eagle Eye had one of the best shots with a gun, but common rifles didn’t do much for his aim. So, he designed a gun that had never been seen before. The rifle was meant to be able to shoot extremely long distances. Eagle had designed for it a scope that would have multiple zooms on it. The overall idea had never been heard of before in Equestria, and so Eagle Eye dubbed himself the creator of the sniper rifle.

Sharp Side worked on the rest of Eagle Eye’s gear. He perfected the hidden/hookblades, completed the mask, and worked on the redesigned sweatshirt that Eagle would be wearing. To avoid Eagle being revealed, Sharp Side added a certain kind of lock to the whole outfit. Basically, it would only come undone by Eagle Eye’s touch. Nopony else would be able to remove the outfit from Eagle, thus keeping his identity safe. The outfit wasn’t just meant for looks and protection, but also to conceal his cutie mark.

But, while Eagle Eye and Sharp Side had that one fun day discussing weapons and other equipment, Eagle Eye spent an interesting night with Rainbow Dash as well. It wasn’t interesting in the sense of the two doing anything sexual, but Rainbow Dash was much more straightforward with Eagle. It all began the same way it had for the recent nights. Rainbow Dash was greeted by Fire Streak at the door. She headed up to greet Eagle Eye in his room.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Rainbow asked Eagle, peeking into his room through his half opened door. He quickly covered up his notes and shoved them in the drawer of the desk.

“Nothing,” he responded, giving her an awkward smile. She raised an eyebrow at him and giggled.

“Yeah right,” she said, entering his room. “What was it? Were you drawing you and me doing something funny?” she asked, presenting herself in a seductive manner.

“No, I was not, Rainbow Dash. Besides, if I was that desperate, I wouldn’t need to draw it, I would be doing it,” he responded. Rainbow was surprised by his response. She pushed him over in his chair and started to laugh.

“In your dreams Eagle.”

“Hey, I thought we were a thing again. Isn’t that what ponies like us do when the relationship gets interesting?” Eagle asked rhetorically. She simply looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

“Man, you really are one desperate stallion. I knew you wanted me Eagle, but not that badly.” She helped him up off the floor and sat him down on his bed. She looked at him seductively.

“What are you doing?” he asked her.

“I thought you wanted this?” she said, pushing him to lie down on his bed. She lied down next to him and started to move herself over his body. Before she could do so, he quickly scrambled back up and moved against the wall.

“I said that I didn’t need to draw stuff like that. I didn’t say that I wanted to do it.”

“Yeah, but I know you do,” Rainbow teased. Eagle swallowed and looked to the mare. She moved towards him, sliding her hooves up his back. “Come on, we’ve known each other for so long, and you never even asked me to do this.”

“Well… ok, that’s true, but now it just feels rushed. We just got back together Dash, and I don’t want to rush into these things.” Eagle looked to Rainbow as she brought her lips to his. He lost himself in the kiss. It was so passionate and true. He couldn’t help but move his hooves to her head. Rainbow broke the kiss to look into his eyes.

“Alright,” she said.

“Huh?”

“We can wait to do this. I can take the hint that you aren’t ready for all that the great Rainbow Dash can provide for you,” she said. Her boisterous tone stuck true to the mare it belonged to. Eagle nodded to her.

“Thanks Dash,” he said. But, to her own surprise, he brought her back into another kiss. Breaking the kiss, Dash raised an eyebrow at him.

“I thought we were waiting?” she said.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t make out. Besides, I know you want these lips,” he replied teasingly. She simply giggled and started to make out with him again. They lied down in his bed together, still kissing. Rainbow started to tease Eagle’s wings, which made him moan a bit. He broke the kiss and saw Rainbow laughing at him.

“Oh you think that’s funny now do you?” he said. He flipped her onto her back and started to tickle her on the sides. She was laughing uncontrollably. “I didn’t know you were ticklish.”

“I’m not!” she said, taking a moment to just laugh. “Stop it Eagle!” But he didn’t stop. He kept tickling her as she continued to laugh. He finally started to slow down. When she stopped laughing, she was still smiling at him. He smiled back at her. She pulled him in for another kiss. Kissing Rainbow Dash never got old for Eagle Eye. Each kiss was literally like making out with a rainbow.

Eagle used his wings to move the bed covers over the two Pegasi. They broke the kiss and snuggled together. Rainbow rested her head on Eagle Eye’s chest and started to doze off.

“I love you Eagle Eye.”

“I love you too Rainbow Dash, and I promise that this time around, I will never leave you,” he responded to her. He meant that. He was going to make sure that he never left her again.

“I promise too,” she said.

“Why should you have to promise that? I was the one who left you after all.”

“I just want you to know that I will always be there for you. I lost you once, and I almost lost you twice. I don’t want to lose you anymore Eagle. Ever since those days at Flight Camp, you really were the only stallion that understood how awesome I am.”

“You really are an egotistical little mare aren’t you?”

“I wouldn’t be the same if I wasn’t,” she responded playfully. The two shared a quick laugh before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

The night passed, and soon, another week had passed, ending the first month of Eagle’s path for revenge. But, by the end of the month, everything was ready. Eagle Eye waited until about eight o’clock at night to head to Sharp Side’s house. Eagle would have to play his new assassin tactics smart and use the shadows. What better time to use the shadows then the night?

Eagle entered Sharp Side’s garage to find Sharp Side waiting for him. Eagle had brought with him his completed outfit and sniper rifle. He had been keeping the finished product at his own home, and tonight, he was finally going to get to test it out.

“Alright, are you ready Eagle?” Sharp Side asked. Eagle placed his rifle on the workbench and strapped on his new outfit. It was a white sweatshirt, but just as Sharp Side had promised, it was now suited with lightweight paddings for body protection. The pads didn’t bulge out or tamper with Eagle Eye’s mobility, so he was fine with it. The outfit covered his entire body, and with the tail attachments that Eagle had added on, his hind legs were also covered. The tail ends were red, and they flowed in whatever pattern they chose, which Eagle Eye actually liked. It added more of a free flowing feel to the entire outfit. Eagle Eye activated the small lock on the underside of the outfit.

“You’re sure that this thing won’t open unless I do it myself?” Eagle asked Sharp Side.

“Positive. No matter how much force anypony tries to use, that thing won’t come off. Thankfully, the hind end of the outfit is tight enough that it won’t fly up and reveal your cutie mark.”

“Among other things,” Eagle Eye responded. They both shared a quick laugh and moved on to the rest of the equipment.

“I’ve perfected the blades so that they won’t shatter or anything. Just remember, one flick for blade, two flicks for hookblade, and one light flick to retract the blades. It’s simple enough.” Eagle strapped on the hidden blades. Shortly after, he strapped on two leather bracers over the blades for protection of his hooves. The bracers were lightweight and would allow Eagle to block attacks with his hooves if his blades wouldn’t do the trick. Sharp Side pulled out the finalized wing blades.

“I hope you know how much of a pain it was to make these things Eagle!” Sharp Side said. The blades were sleek, stainless steel. They were quite bulky however, and would most definitely hinder Eagle Eye’s ability to fly. Eagle strapped on the wing blades with Sharp Side’s help.

“Ok, so these things will expand and retract just as your wings do. The size of them won’t really allow you to get any great flight speeds, but you can still fly nonetheless.” Eagle examined the blades. The blades fit like a charm. They were just as sharp as any other blade Sharp Side could create. The insides, which were practically like feathers, mimicked just how feathers looked. There were about four separate blades on the inside, and the outer sheath which covered the bone of Eagle Eye’s wings was also covered with a sharp blade. The inner blades were connected with other mechanics that allowed them to fold along with the rest of his wing.

“Alright, now we move on to your mask,” Sharp Side said, pulling out a black, metal mask.

“So, how does it work?” Eagle asked.

“Put it on first,” Sharp Side responded. Eagle took the mask and placed it over his muzzle. It completely covered his mouth and nose. It really covered most of the frontal portion of his face, aside from his forehead and eyes. The mask fit like a glove, and it felt comfortable. Eagle could move his muzzle around just fine with it on.

“Nice, but how do I cover up my mane?” he asked.

“Push it inward,” Sharp Side responded. Eagle just looked at him with a confused look. “Just do it.” Eagle saw no reason to deny it. He pushed the mask inward, and suddenly, it started to extend. The mask ran down to the back of Eagle’s neck, and it made its way up to the top of his head, leaving his ears free. It completely covered up his mane, ending just at the start of his forehead. Eagle was completely stunned.

“That is the coolest thing ever! How the hell did you make this?” Eagle asked.

“It wasn’t easy. Basically, just that simple click will send the whole mask to cover your mane and head up. It’s lightweight enough that it can provide a good amount of protection to your head, but also so that you can still move your head in any direction. How does your mane feel?”

“It actually feels fine. I bet now I can keep my hood on without any problems.”

“That was the point my friend. Also, this mask works the same way as your outfit. It won’t come off unless you take it off yourself.”

“You really do know how to make the best stuff don’t you?” Eagle asked rhetorically. Sharp Side simply smiled. He noticed Eagle's rifle.

“Ok, so now that we’ve finished this rifle of yours, I just want you to explain to me one more time how it works. I need you to also test a few rounds out with it.”

“Ok, the whole thing works so that I can shoot with both speed and accuracy. I’ve got a strap on the whole rifle. It works so that I can leave the rifle on my back with the stock just about here, next to the left side of my head.” Eagle gestured to the spot where he was talking about. He strapped the rifle over his head and demonstrated. It worked just as he said it would. “The strap is flexible enough so that I can reach over with my right hoof and shoulder the rifle. From there, I place my right hoof under the gun a bit forward from the stock. My left hoof will go in the hole on the left side of the base of the gun.” Normally where a cocking mechanism would be, there was a hoof-sized hole on it. “I insert my hoof, lock it in, and just pull back to fire. It shoots as fast as I can pull back on this thing. When I need to reload, I just click the button on the stock. The used clip will fall out, I load a new one, and just close the hatch to lock in the mag. No need to cock the gun or anything.”

“I have to say Eagle, I’m impressed. I never would have expected you to create a genuine gun model like this. I like the title too. Sniper rifle. It sounds so perfect.”

“Damn straight. It’s designed to be quick, deadly, and accurate. The scope has two zoom modes, one for mid-range, and one for long range. I will however have to work on a way to make it more silent.”

“Why not add a silencer?” Sharp Side asked.

“I tried, but it kept messing up the gun’s accuracy. I can look into it later. For the time being, it should be silent enough.” Eagle Eye threw the rifle back over his back. It was placed well enough that it wouldn’t fall off. Eagle flipped up his hood. “Man, this mask and/or helmet thing really grips with my hood.”

“I used a material to make the mask that would most likely keep the hood in place. You really shouldn’t suffer any problems with your hood falling off.” Eagle Eye nodded to Sharp Side. Sharp Side helped Eagle Eye strap on the chain mail for his tail. It wasn’t the lightest thing around, but it definitely did the trick in both concealing and protecting his tail. They would have to find something better later on.

“Alright, are you ready?” Sharp Side asked. Eagle Eye looked to his friend. He closed his eyes, only to open them moments later. His eyes were now crimson red.

“The real question is if Manehattan is ready to meet the Assassin?” Sharp Side nodded to his friend.

“Then let’s get you out there.”

Eagle Eye flew over the city of Manehattan. He was high above the clouds, but he could still see the beautiful city. He never had a real reason to fly this high, but now, he wish he had done this before. Sharp Side had given Eagle Eye an earpiece for his missions. Sharp Side called to his friend.

“How does the city look from up there buddy?”

“Amazing,” Eagle Eye responded.

“Nice. Alright, so, I can hear everything you can hear with this earpiece. In your mask, I’ve inserted to cameras, which allow me to see everything you see. I’ll give you as much support as I can. What’s good about this is that any sound that comes from this earpiece can only be heard by you. There isn’t any residual sound for anypony else to pick up while you are being sneaky.” Sharp Side watched as Eagle Eye continued to fly over the city. “Alright, land on that approaching rooftop.” Eagle Eye complied and landed. He stood at the edge of the tall building. He was now standing on one of the taller skyscrapers in the city. Eagle Eye could see everything from up there.

“Alright, so, where is my target?” Eagle asked Sharp Side.

“From the data I’ve gathered, this guy has managed to jump at least fifteen mares in the last week. In total, he’s managed at least one hundred jumps, and the local authorities haven’t been able to catch him. I’ve actually got a read on him. He’s a few blocks away from your location. You ready to take down this punk Eagle Eye?”

“Who’s Eagle Eye?” he responded. Sharp Side chuckled over the mic. He understood what Eagle meant. On that rooftop, there no longer stood the stallion known as Eagle. During the night, Eagle Eye was now non-existent. In the night, there was now a stallion who took Eagle Eye’s place.

“Eagle Eye is gone from the night, Sharp Side. Call me the Assassin.”

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took me a while to post this chapter. I kind of just got lazy and didn't feel like writing. Thankfully, I wrote this in shifts though, so it wasn't all in one go. I hope it was worth the wait, because now the fun can begin.