The shining slide of the handcannon was locked back, receiver open as the big man knelt atop the hill before the town, his black duster draping low and the flaps pulled slightly to the side as he fished out a magazine for the cannon.

Stuffing a mag into the gun, he then thumbed the slide release, the gun emitting a satisfying 'K-CHING!' as it snapped shut, loading a fresh magnum cartridge into the chamber. Depressing the hammer, he ejected the magazine and topped it up before giving it a shove back into the well of the pistol.

He turned to the mare, shooting her a rather cold glare as he holstered his cannon, concealing it with his duster afterwards. His glare nearly made Echo squirm in remorse, thanking goddess when his glare turned back towards the town.

“So...” he trailed off questioningly. She didn't dare look to him as she replied rather meekly.

“What?” she asked softly.

“Think you can blend in? These bastards will snuff you out like hounds otherwise. They're all murderers... killers... rapists... scum of Equestria. Think you can pull off the attitude and fit in? Cause if not, they'll kill you... or rape you... or kill you and then rape you,” The big man asked his question.

Echo took a deep breath and swallowed hard but the big man spoke before she could reply. “What exactly did he... do... to have you want him dead so badly?” the man asked, Echo clenching her eyes shut as she regretfully remembered the horrific memories.

“He... he forced himself on me... took my innocence-” she was cut off by a cynical chuckle from the big man.

“Innocence? Bwah-ha-ha-ha! What innocence? I saw the way you just... threw yourself on Evan,” he mocked her, much to her distress.

“I WAS!” She snapped back, quickly turning her head away. “He... we loved each other once... he taught me so much... and then...” she recalled the pained look on the changeling's face. “He had been... experimenting, I guess you'd call it... I released the changeling he had captured, tried to show mercy... he had me held down and claimed me but then...”

Echo turned to her side and lifted the cloak to reveal her belly, where a nasty jagged scar ran up her belly. “He took my... he left me barren... left me to die... I was in a coma for several years and the doctors said I should have never survived, let alone wake up-” Derreck cut her short as he spoke.

“But your lust for vengeance kept you alive,” he stated as he stuck a fat wad of a cigar in his mouth. Echo nodded in confirmation, concealing her rough, scarred underbelly once more. “Now... use that vengeance, let it surface... and fit in,” Derreck told her as he rose to his full height. “And nopony there will know the difference.”

Derreck tussled his duster slightly, buttoning it up at the front. Echo pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, concealing her facial features and letting her vengeful emotions surface to give her a steely cold vibe.

The two descended down towards the ramshackle town which was, by most sources, listed as a ghost town and without any doubt looked the part. However as the duo entered the town's limits, it was clear that the place was far from deserted.

The odd pony walked down the dusty trail that ran throughthe center of town. Ponies looked down from rattly old balconies at the two newcomers, some drawing out illegal crossbows in anticipation while others sat idly on porches.

A lone vagrant stumbled past them, burping grotesquely before looking to Echo. “Welsh... hullur durr purty littl-” the stallion was cut off by a burp, the stench of his breath traveling over to Echo, making her nose scrunch back.

“Beat it,” Echo warned but the stallion, too drunk to care, stumbled forwards.

“Aww... yer juss... hurtin' fer a squirtin'...” he trailed off and tried to wrap his foreleg around her. In a blitz Echo grabbed his leg and twisted it before promptly flipping him to his back and pinning him in a submissive hold, threatening to break his leg if she gave any more force.

The stallion screamed out in horrifying pain as he withered beneath her grip. Echo's face leaned lower, her facial features still concealed beneath the hood of her cloak, as she whispered into the stallion's ear. “I'll cut them off if you ever try to touch me again,” she hissed before releasing him.

In an instant the stallion was scrambling away, several of the town folk's attention drawn to them. Derreck looked around and took a sniff of the air. “Mmm... I could...” Echo's ears perked as she heard his words while he began to walk.

“Where are you going?!” she snapped at him, making sure to keep quiet enough so that nopony could overhear their conversation. Derreck however, gave no mind to keeping the conversation a secret.

“To get a drink. I'm thirsty,” he stated, walking over towards one of the nicer kept buildings. Echo was going to berate him for getting sidetracked but her lust for vengeance subsided slightly as she recalled her already bad standings with the man.

She kept her remarks to herself and followed the man to the tavern. Walking up to the door, she almost immediately felt a cold sensation run down her body. Not one from the temperature but more of a spiritual vibe.

Keeping her emotions hell bent on revenge, she at least looked the part of a petty criminal. The big man pushed his way into the tavern, knocking aside a pony that was too close to the door.

Inside there was heavy plumes of tobacco smoke, the smell of booze and sex. Derreck's nostrils twitched as he glared darkly across the tavern's interior. Most of the building's guests paid him no mind, instead being too busy getting loaded or trying to hire a prostitute.

He kept a plain expression as he slowly made his way over to the counter, Echo following not too far behind. Coming up to the bar counter, Derreck looked from side to side, seeing that most all of the spots were taken, save for one spare stool.

However, instead of taking the free stool, he walked up behind a lumbering stallion. Echo gulped to herself and shook her head. 'Oh goddess no... no, he isn't really... he is...' she thought in panic. The stallion looked like a steroid pumping slab of muscle that would crush other pony's heads in his biceps.

Derreck huffed at the stallion. “Out of my seat, dirt bag,” Derreck grumbled, the stallion's head perking up from hearing the insult. The lumbering beast slowly turned around and perked a brow, curious as to why the man would try to insult him while being somewhat smaller than he.

Derreck leaned in a bit closer. “I said move! Scumbag,” Derreck hissed. The stallion pumped his hoof into Derreck's gut with brutal force, Echo flinching. Opening her eyes however, she was stunned to see the blow hadn't even fazed the man, looking as though the stallion hadn't even hit him.

The stallion stood to his hindlegs, lumbering a good foot and a half above Derreck. The tavern went silent as the big brute roared out and bashed Derreck several times in the gut. Echo winced from the sight of the brutal beating that would no doubt kill a lesser pony. But even so, the blows barely even budged the man.

Huffing in aggravation, the stallion reared back for a wicked punch and threw a mighty haymaker. In a flash, Derreck grabbed hold of the stallion's forearm mid-strike, gripping tight on the inner side of his foreleg.

With immense impact, Derreck drove his forehead into the stallion's snout, knocking him to the floor. The man suddenly, and most instinctively, leaned back, in turn dodging a downwards strike from a baseball bat that had been swung from the bartender.

Derreck's left arm rose high then hammered down on the bartender's foreleg, crushing the bones beneath and making the pony scream out in agony before being silenced with a straight punch to the snout that knocked him out cold.

Echo watched in shock as the lumbering stallion stood back up, fuming as terrifyingly as ever. “Y-you... you broke my nose!” he boomed. Derreck looked to him, his fists tightening.

“I'm gonna break more than that!” he snarled back, hammering hard across the stallion's jaw with a brutal haymaker, the stallion's lower jaw busting out of place in a rather gruesome display.

Echo gasped as two stallions rushed the man from behind, pushing past her as they charged at the man with spears. Derreck turned to his left, grabbing the stallion's spear with his right hand and yanking on it, pulling the aggressor forwards and off balance while using his left to drive home a punch to the side of the pony's head. In the same instance, he yanked the unconscious body past himself and pivoted in a clockwise 180 degree motion, swinging a hard kick that caught the second attacker in the chest with the base of his boot and sent the stallion hurtling through a nearby table, the ponies sitting there getting up and scrambling or being knocked down with the tossed stallion.

Derreck took a seat where the brute had once resided, looking to the bar maid and tossing her a Celestia bit. “Vodka... straight... the premium stuff, not watered down...” he trailed off and looked around, ponies silently staring. “Keep the rest, for the ruckus... or maybe for yourself,” he said with a charming smile.

She nodded and quickly retrieved a single shot glass. “Two glasses, please...” he trailed off and looked to Echo, motioning with his head for her to come over. Echo slowly trotted over and Derreck looked to the stallion that still, boldly enough, sat silently beside him. “You're sitting in my friend's spot,” he growled.

Not even a heartbeat later the stallion was scrambling to get away, even to the point that he knocked over his whiskey whilst his hooves scurried against the wooden table of the bar counter.

Echo cautiously sat beside the seemingly unstable man as the maid gave the second glass. Echo leaned over. “What the hay do you think you're doing?!” she hissed, knowing full well he was gaining undue attention which would no doubt lead to their discovery.

He looked back to her. “Getting drunk... what are you going to do?” The bartender offered over a three liter bottle of vodka to which Derreck licked his lips and rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

Just before he could indulge himself however, a stallion poked him from behind. “Hey, dickbag... you can't just waltz in here like you own the place!” the stallion growled, being backed by two others. Derreck sighed and went as though he was going to calmly turn around, but instead lashed out, grabbing the stallion by the collar of his coat and yanking his body up onto the counter before shoving his right fist near his throat, two metallic blue blades erupting from between his knuckles, one on each side of the stallion's throat.

The stallion gasped beneath the man's grip, looking into the man's one good eye and into his steely cold glare. “I go wherever the fuck I want...” he said in a lumbering, deep tone. Very slowly, a third blade began to emerge from the middle, sliding down until it just touched the stallion's throat. “And I fuck wherever I go...” he trailed off and his blades promptly retracted before he heaved the stallion backwards and into the two others that recently had his back.

The blades emerged yet again and he dragged them against the counter. “YOU SEE THIS!” he roared to the entire tavern. “THIS... THIS IS MY MARK... MY SPOT! ANY MOTHERFUCKER WANTS IT ON THEIR FLANK AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THEIR CUTIE MARK, COME SEE ME NOW! OTHERWISE, FUCK RIGHT OFF AND LET ME DRINK!” The man's face was nearly shaking in intensity as he roared out his threat, one that, to Echo, seemed all too real and not in any way acted out.

“Well then... in that case, be warned... you get enough guts to disturb me while I'm drunk... and I'll fucking pull 'em out!” he warned before sighing and turning back to his glorious bottle of vodka and pouring both himself and Echo a drink.

The mare leaned over. “You keep this up... Liquid's gonna know we're here,” she whispered and the man chuckled.

“That's the plan,” he replied, much to her distress but he instead just patted her on the back. “Relax comrade. In due time... in due time. For now, just drink and be merry,” he stated, proposing a raise of the glass. Echo, rather reluctantly, clanged her glass against his, figuring it to be a stupid plan to say the least.

Pounding back the small shot, Echo gagged. “Blech! Gross... what is thi-” she was cut off as she turned to see Derreck chugging back the vodka straight from the bottle, sucking back gulps at a time.

After a few moments, he let out a rather distasteful belch that reeked of alcohol, the tavern going quiet as he did. Echo looked to the three liter bottle. In less than a minute he had nearly pounded back more than two and a half liters, which was, by most standards, essentially impossible and rather dangerous to do.

Derreck swirled the bottle then looked to her with a somewhat, but not entirely, intoxicated stare. “Want some?” he asked, offering her another shot. Deciding to try and copy his way of fitting in, she instead grabbed the entire bottle with her magic and took a rather hefty gulp. Setting the bottle aside, she nearly gagged from the backlash of aftertaste and burning feel of alcohol.

Derreck leaned back and perked a brow. “Damn... that stuff's pretty strong. Usually a few shots is enough to put a pony on their ass... not bad Snake,” he mused, Echo letting out a depressed sigh as she heard how he addressed her.

“Ahl...” Echo trailed off as wooziness started to hit her, along with slightly slurred speech. She instead decided not to speak.

“Ahem,” came a voice from behind Derreck, Echo turning to look but quickly whipping her head in the other direction, pretending as though she was sickly drunk. Derreck's face twisted into a snarly expression as the blades from between his knuckles erupted once more.

“I SAID I'LL KIL-” He cut himself short as he turned to be met by a rather battered mare. “Woah-ho-ho... hey-llo,” Derreck started again, in the best charming voice he had. The mare perked a brow, he scarred facial features twisting as she did so.

“Do you have any idea who I am?” she spoke to him in what could be considered a threatening tone.

Derreck shook his head before licking his lips. “Nooo... but I wanna get teh know yah... personally,” he said in a rather sexual tone of voice. The mare shot him a bland glare.

“I find that hard to believe,” she commented, Derreck in turn making a lewd gesture with his tongue.

“Than why don't you and me get a room... and I'll make you believe,” Derreck suggested, Echo perking a brow.

'Is he really trying to get with her?!' she thought to herself, just before the mare spoke.

“I... well that is to...” the mare blushed timidly before getting serious. “Well, I'm not sure how she would take it. Word is, you two came in together.” The mare pointed to Echo but Derreck just shook his head.

“Nah, she's just my partner... err, uhh... not, sexually. We're hitponies. Kinda. Just got back from down south. Killed some dragons that were trying to off the royal heir or some shit.” Derreck took another swig from his nearly depleted bottle of vodka.

The mare took a seat beside the big man. “Killing dragons?” she asked, almost impressed. Derreck nodded.

“Yeah... not easy, but the reward is well worth it...” Derreck commented, brandishing the bottle in an almost triumphant way. The mare smirked.

“Well... in any case... oh, how rude of me. My name is Belle.” She offered her hoof to shake which Derreck promptly took and planted a kiss on, making the mare blush further.

“Pleasure's mine Belle... mmm, such a fitting name,” he stated, Belle's cheeks flushing an even deeper red.

“Well... I... I'm flattered, Mr.-” she let Derreck finish.

“Black,” he informed her, to which she perked a brow. “Black is usually associated with death. I wanted 'Ace of Spades' but that was already taken... she's Mute,” Derreck pointed to Echo, and Belle took a look to the mare, whose facial features were still covered under her cloak's hood.

“Mute?” she asked to which Derreck nodded.

“She doesn't talk much, if at all... so I just call her Mute. We don't use our real names. Policy thing,” he informed her, to which she chuckled.

“So... dragon killers huh?” she asked but Derreck shook his head.

“Nah, just killers in general. As long as the pay is good. Dragons usually pay the most, seconded only by younglings,” Derreck commented, to which Belle nearly gasped, along with Echo.

“Y-you... you've k-killed foals?” she gasped to which Derreck shrugged.

“Well... no. No foals. Equestria doesn't usually... hire. Our profession is rather... shunned. Usually in places like the Griffon Kingdom, were say... a brother to the king is jilted because the king's son is going to be the next ruler, but the brother wants to be king next so he pays me to off the kid... and damn... it pays fuckin' good... mind my language.” Derreck offered Belle some of his vodka, to which she turned down politely. Smiling to himself, he pounded back the remainder of the bottle before letting out a mighty burp.

“Well... so I suppose that means you two have no... inhibitions when it comes to killing?” she asked but Derreck nodded.

“Well, yes actually, we do,” he stated to which Belle inquired.

“And that would be?...” she left the question open.

Derreck leaned forward with a toothy grin. “How deep the employer's pockets are.” Derreck leaned back and chuckled to himself. Belle perked a brow.

“How much to kill a mare hellbent on revenge?” she asked, Echo immediately gulping.

'Does she know?' Echo thought feverishly to herself, wondering if her presence had been made, and wondering to herself if Derreck would seriously consider killing her off. He had been acting strange this whole time.

Echo had thought, no word of a lie, that Derreck would never kill young ones, never kill just for money. She had believed him to be a punisher of evil, not a gun for hire. But this drunken talk had made the truth all too clear for her.

“Well... not much... depending. Why, whatsh... dammn,” Derreck purposefully slurred his speech. “Sorry I... Ish thought... didn't know I'd be hired again so shsshoon,” he laughed. Belle smiled back and waved the bar maid over.

“Another bottle please...” she looked to Derreck and gave him a wink. “This one's on the house.” Derreck perked a brow as the maid brought over another bottle of premium vodka.

“Dayum... an' ahm supposed tuh buy yoush a beer,” he slurred, to which Belle planted a kiss on his faked drunken lips. A rather lustful one at that.

“My boss may want to employ you for your... talents. He'll pay well and... if you satisfy, I'll even throw in a bonus,” she offered, to which Derreck nodded.

“Shshh-sure, yeah... I'll... I'm just gonna nap firsht,” Derreck informed her to which she waved over the maid again.

“A room please, a nice one,” she ordered the maid, but Derreck cut in.

“Two,” he ordered, to which Belle looked to him. “My friend needshsh a beds too. We don't... we're not that close,” he stated, to which Belle recalled him saying they weren't in that kind of partnership.

“Two rooms. The nicest ones we have,” Belle ordered, to which the maid grabbed a set of keys and slid them across the counter. “Here you go, Mr. Black. Enjoy your stay. And when you feel fit, come down to my boss's place. It's just down the street... you can't miss it,” she informed Derreck, who mused back.

“Will you be there?” he asked to which she smiled bashfully. “Then I definitely can't mish it.” Belle stifled a filly-ish giggle before standing.

“Well, I do look forward to seeing you again, Mr. Black.” With that she was off and Derreck slid a key over to Echo.

“Go on kid, we'll need our rest... ugh, and I need a bath,” Derreck said with a shudder, and in a now sober voice, as he stood up and casually wandered up the stairs of the tavern and to the second floor. Echo stood up, her legs wobbling a bit as she felt the alcohol really take effect on her body.

Doing her best not to stagger, she wandered up the stairs and to her room, indicated by the matching number that was on her key. Closing the door behind her and locking it, she let herself stagger, unbuckling the utility belt around her waist and shedding her cloak.

“Ugh... blugh...” Echo groaned, feeling horribly drunk. With a satisfying exhale, she flopped down on the bed, which smelled rather terrible but she could care less. The churning feeling inside her was set at ease as she found a soft spot on the bed.

Curling up contently with herself, she let go of all her problems, just letting herself relax. Just as she felt the overwhelming pleasure of sleep start to douse her however, the door swung open, making her jump up in fright.

The big man walked in, closing it behind himself. “GWAH! I locked it!” Echo yelped and Derreck shrugged, tossing aside a bent mane clip.

“And I unlocked it,” he stated as he began to shed his clothes.

“W-what... what are y-you doing?” Echo gasped, covering her body with the musty old blanket. Derreck didn't even look to her as he continued undressing.

“Taking a bath. My tub was filled with...” he trailed off, not daring to speak of the indecencies that resided in his bathroom as he entered her's, shutting the door behind himself. Echo held a hoof to her face as she sighed, groaning slightly as she rubbed the hoof down her face in a slow stroke.

She thought back on everything, all the moments of joy and happiness she had with the man... Evan. And how she let it all slip away. She let out a depressed sigh as she laid back down, a tear trickling from her eye. Time seemed to pass by at a rather quick pace, one she didn't take note of.

The door to the washroom opened back up, and with it, Evan stumbled out, brushing his still damp hair back and tightening the towel around his body that he had made into a toga. Echo sat up. “E-Evan?” she asked, a little baffled as to how the man was coming out of the washroom without having ever entered it.

The man didn't answer as he walked over to the couch, flipping over the dirty cushions then groaning as he realized the underside was nastier than the side that had previously been facing upwards. Flipping the cushions back over, he promptly flopped down with a relieved sigh. “Evan I'm... I'm sorry,” Echo apologized, seeing as how the overpowered brute of a man wasn't there to interject.

The man, in sorrowful depression, turned over and left his back to her. Echo stood up and stumbled over to his side, still drunk as ever. “Evan I just wanted to... I know it started off selfish, but I really did care for you,” she whimpered as she stroked a hoof down his shoulder, but he was unresponsive to her apology.

Rather cautiously, she rolled him over, to which he obliged, though reluctantly. Taking his hand, she began to run it down her chest. “What are you doing?” Evan replied in a low tone. She stopped his hand by her belly and rubbed it against a rather gruesome scar.

“Do you feel it?” she asked, Evan sitting up immediately and taking a better look. “This... is what 'he' did to me... it is proof that I was once going to be a mother. But when I...” she trailed off and held back a tear. “He took that away from me and left me barren. I can never again bear a foal. Never again will I have a chance to give birth... he stripped me of that gift and I just wanted him...” she trailed off again, not needing to continue. “I just wanted you to know.”

She stood up to all fours then reached one of her front hooves back to her belly, rubbing her hoof up and down the scar. “Sometimes I can still feel the pain... slithering up inside me... like a snake...” Echo put her hoof back down and wandered back over to the bed. "I've never told anybody that much about myself. Thank you, for at least listening."

Evan rolled over to his back, looking to the roof with his one eye. He thought back on how she had struck him down while he had his back to her... but then thought back on everything else they had done together.

How he and Derreck had first met her in the bar back in Manehatten... how he and Derreck had taught her so much about love and hate... how she had saved his life when he had a heart attack, and how he in return saved her life when Derreck attempted to strike her down, even if it was for shooting him in the back...

A sad tune seemed to play in the man's mind and he slowly stood up, a tear in his eye as he walked over to the now dozing mare. The room had a slight draft to it and was a little cold. Echo shivered slightly as she huddled up in more of a fetal position. Evan pulled up his old, worn out duster coat and tucked her in with it, Echo immediately relaxing into a warming look.

The man walked over to the nearby window and looked out to the streets below, placing the fat wad of a cigar between his lips as he let out a sigh. In his imagination, a flash of blue light, much like that of lightning, seemed to glimmer outside, reflecting his face in the window.

He looked to the reflection, all bloodied and battered, with a piece of slag sticking out of his forehead. Evan sighed to himself as he closed his eye, stroking his hand across his still smooth skin...

Hours passed and Echo slowly came to, her intoxication having passed in her sleep and her body feeling cozy warm. She slowly rose from her slumber and took note it was Evan's duster that had once again kept her warm.

She hopped out of bed and looked around the dimly lit room. Looking to the window, she realized she must have slept most of the day away as it was now getting into the night. Looking to the couch, she spotted the smaller man dozing away, though curled up...

She trotted over and gently covered him with his duster coat, much in the same caring way he had done to her. Leaning down, she kissed him on the cheek, whispering to him even if he wouldn't hear her. “Thank you.”

Echo stepped back and watched the man take a more relaxed pose as he slept. She smiled to herself before exhaling. The air in the tavern, even inside their rooms, smelt rather rancid and horrible. The stench of tobacco had settled into everything, along with the musk of sex and wafting scent of spilled booze.

Echo shook her head and decided to go out for some fresh air, figuring that her identity hadn't been blown, and that nopony would second guess her if they saw her like this. Even Belle believed her to be a ruthless killer for now...

Echo slowly trotted down the stairs of the tavern and out the front doors, walking out onto the dirt road that traveled through the would be ghost town. Pulling back the hood on her cloak, she took in a refreshing inhale, letting the cold air calm her body...

Across the street, in the second story of a nicer building, a slime green pony sat tapping his hooves together as Belle stood before him. “Are you sure about these two?” Liquid asked curiously, Belle nodding.

The duo had been discussing the matter all day. Liquid leaned back in his chair with a deep exhale. “Echo and her friend killed The Face of Death... just because they can kill dragons-” Belle cut him short.

“Trust me... this... hairless ape... I know he's good. His partner doesn't talk much but I can't imagine she's a slouch if she's riding with him. They can take care of Echo and her... White Skull,” Belle assured her friend.

Liquid tapped his hooves together again as he thought to himself. “Indeed...” he swung around to the window in his swivel chair and looked out to the town below. As he looked to the streets, he spotted a most particular mare. His eyes went wide as he stood up to his hindlegs, fore hooves against the window. “SON OF A BITCH!” He yelled, making Belle nearly jump.

“What?!” she gasped, running to his side. Liquid pointed down to the mare whom soon after pulled the cloak hood back over her head and wandered back into the bar.

“Looks like you've been had... hahahaha... dragon killers,” Liquid mused before rubbing his chin. “Surround them, but I want them alive. Bring Echo to my quarters but the... White Skull... I want to speak with him personally. I may just find use for him,” Liquid ordered, Belle nodding, infuriated that she had been tricked by a smooth talking assassin...

Echo made her way back up to her room, wandering through the door. However, no sooner had she, was pulled into the room, door slamming shut behind her and being pinned to the ground. She gasped and went to scream but a hand went over her mouth just as a suppressor was pressed against her forehead. Derreck gasped. “Snake?! Where the hell did you go?!” he hissed, taking his hand away from her mouth.

Gasping for air, she spoke frantically. “For some fresh air! What the hay do you think you're doing!” Echo snapped at him. He stood up from atop of her, flicking the safety on his H&K MK 23 SOCOM pistol.

“Watching guard... were you followed?” he asked and she immediately shook her head. Derreck quickly peeked out the door to make certain before once again closing it but this time locking it as well.

“What's got you so jumpy all of a sudden, Mr. Foal Killer,” Echo scoffed and Derreck shrugged.

“Bad vibes I guess... and I've never, in my entire life, killed younglings,” Derreck retorted, Echo raising a brow.

“That's not what you told Belle,” she countered and Derreck just laughed, patting her on the head.

“Remember what I said about fitting in. About playing the part?” Derreck reminded her.

“You play the part a little too well. It didn't seem like you were acting,” she told him to which he smiled.

“That's the whole point isn't it? Acting is making a lie so believable, others see it as the truth,” he stated and Echo perked a brow.

“So how do I know you're not just acting right now? How do I know you're not really a foal killer?” she inquired, Derreck in turn pulling aside the flaps on his duster and revealing the white skull T-shirt.

“Because all those rumors you hear... the ones about me punishing evil doers... they're true,” Derreck replied before standing up. “And because of my acting, we now have a rather private audience with the stallion himself... we go in there clean and straight... and then...” Derreck twirled the H&K pistol on his index finger before snapping it into a tight grip.

“Pop-pop-pop... nopony hears the shots and we leave like we're off to kill you... and we get out clean and serene...” Derreck looked to Echo who was baffled by his plan which seemed rather thought out.

“H-hey... that's pretty... pretty good-” Derreck held his finger to his mouth, signaling her to be quiet. “What?” she asked, Derreck making a motion for her to be silent and listen. Echo's ear flapped slightly as she listened close, but didn't hear anything. “I... I don't hear anything,” she stated and Derreck nodded.

“Exactly... it was bustling downstairs just a second ago... and now it's quiet as a mouse.” Derreck ushered Echo behind himself. “Evan... get up... we got trouble,” Derreck called to his friend.

The second man rose up from the couch in a hurry, as though he hadn't actually been sleeping. Evan slipped on his brown duster coat before drawing out his mighty handcannon, meanwhile Derreck held his inline with the doorway.

Time seemed to stand still. Not a single noise could be heard, not a single thing in the room moving. Derreck's nostril twitched and his grip on the .45 handgun tightened.

From outside the door there was a creak in the floorboards and Derreck fired off a trio of shots, a scream on the opposite side echoing out. The door then burst open, a group of thugs trying to all force their way into the room at the same time in a non-communicative way.

Due to their lack of strategy the group ended up getting tangled together, allowing Derreck several fatal pot shots. Gunshots boomed inside the room, illuminating the area and letting flashes of light out the window for all to see and hear.

Evan pitched in, his cannon knocking a stallion back into two others and tumbling the group out the door and over the railing, crashing down to the bar below. Several more shots erupted before the two windows of the room were smashed, Derreck taking no mind and keeping his focus to the ponies invading through the doors.

Suddenly the slide to his handgun locked back, signaling it was dry. With no time to reload, he countered a bladed swing from a thug and reversed the strike into another before snapping the first's neck.

Just before he could really get onto the offensive, Evan called out. “DERRECK!” he yelled, getting the man's attention. He turned back to see Echo being held in a grapple, her own knife to her throat and Evan just barely holding two pegasi at bay with his empty handcannon, holding it steady but knowing it's ammunition had been depleted.

Derreck swallowed, thinking hard before raising his hands in surrender. “Derreck... what... are you doing?!” Echo grunted, the man slowly setting down his piece.

“There'll be another time...”

The trio's weaponry were confiscated and they were escorted out of the tavern and towards Liquid's residence. As they were walked across the street, Derreck looked to Belle. “You never mentioned this... oh, how I do love surprises,” he joked, Belle's lips turning into a snarly expression.

As they were pushed through the doorway, the group was separated, Derreck being led down the hallway and to a separate, rather plain, room with two chairs inside. Being rather forcefully sat down, he was quickly tied to the chair to which he perked a brow.

“You guys... seriously think this can hold me down?” he asked but went silent as a green stallion in fine attire entered the room.

“Ahhh, Mr. Black... or is it White Skull?” he asked, Derreck groaning.

“I was going for 'The Punisher'... but they started calling me that from the skull on my shirt... my real name is Parker,” Derreck stated, to which the stallion nodded.

“Oh... so shall I call you Punisher, or Parker?” he asked calmly, Derreck wiggling his hands, bound at the wrists.

“Well... judging by this situation's circumstances... you can call me Suzanne if makes yah happy,” he joked, the stallion walking over and taking Derreck's bound hand, shaking it.

“Liquid. Liquid Emerald. Pleasure's mine Mr. Parker,” Liquid stated with a hearty smile before spinning the second chair around and sitting in an inverted way, face to face with Derreck. “So... she's dragged you all the way across Equestria just to kill me... I'm flattered,” he mused, the man silent for the time being.

Liquid clucked his tongue before sighing. “So how is it... that she... conspired, to persuade you... to kill me? Was it the promise of sex?” he asked to which Derreck sneered.

“I don't fuck snakes,” he commented back, perking Liquid's ears.

“Snakes?” he asked curiously, Derreck nodding.

“She shot my friend in the back... he trusted her and she just... bang,” Derreck informed the stallion who perked a brow.

“Well... you'd never believe me, but I'll tell you anyway. I once trusted her, loved her even... and she did much the same thing to me. Ruined my life and my research... coincidence the same snake brings us together, hmm?” he asked and Derreck shrugged. “So... if not the promise of eventual sex, what did she offer you?” Liquid inquired, the big man speaking in a monotone voice.

“Money,” he stated blankly, Liquid raising a brow.

“You're... a hired killer than? Perhaps you didn't fully lie to Belle,” he replied and Derreck just rolled his eyes.

“Not quite... I don't kill innocent. Only evil doers. I hunt down the guilty that walk freely among the innocent,” Derreck informed.

“But only for money?” Liquid asked, Derreck shaking his head.

“No... but I don't usually busy myself with traversing across Equestria just to kill a petty rapist,” Derreck stated, Liquid's expression changing.

“Oh... is that what she said?” he asked, Derreck nodding in reply. “Oh... tsk, tsk, tsk...” Liquid stood up and trotted right in front of Derreck. “Do you truly believe I raped her? Or perhaps she just wants me dead for something more? A bigger picture?” he asked, Derreck shrugging carelessly.

Liquid sat on Derreck's lap, straddling him and placing his fore hooves on his shoulders. “Look into my eyes... see my soul... and ask yourself if I'm just a petty rapist,” Liquid suggested, Derreck looking to him with a bland expression.

Liquid exhaled and stroked Derreck's cheek. “And look at you... poor soul... I can see it all... dragged through endless battle... tormented by something much greater than anypony can see... and look what this mare does to you... drags your body across Equestria like some kind of mule... she has been very bad, no?” Liquid said, not really a question.

Derreck still stayed silent and Liquid's hooves moved to Derreck's battle suit zipper. Slowly, and rather sensually, Liquid unzipped the battle suit halfway down, revealing the man's scarred chest.

Liquid let out an almost aroused exhale as he stroked his hoof across Derreck's chest, the big man perking a brow and Evan's conscious voice speaking up. 'Woah-woah-woah-HEY! No-no-no-no-NO! WAIT! Hold on, this is gay, like actually GAY! DERRECK STOP!' Evan's voice lashed out, the big man not paying attention.

“Mmm... see what she's done to you?” Liquid asked as he stroked a hoof down Derreck cheek, wrapping his other hoof around Derreck's neck.

Derreck rose a brow as Evan's voice continued to scream out for Derreck to stop. 'Derreck... what's gotten into you?!'

Derreck met Liquid's eyes with his own as he smirked. “Well... she's never tied me to a chair and sat on my lap...” he joked, much to Liquid's cut in.

“Her loss,” he said as he further unzipped Derreck's suit. A smile drew across the man's lips.

“Are you sure this is still about Echo?” he asked, Liquid's gaze traversing across the man's battered body.

“Well... less so... it's about you... and me...” he looked to the guards and nodded for them to leave. Derreck's brow rose, as did his smile and the internal voice of Evan as he screamed out for it to stop.

Liquid's hoof slowly, and most sensually, began to slid down Derreck's cheek, down his neck and to his chest. “Oh... how your mind must be scrambling... heart racing...” Liquid leaned in closer, whispering into Derreck's ear.

Liquid's flanks rode against Derreck's lap as he began to grind against the man's groin. “But there's always a first time for everything, yes?”

Derreck's expression changed just ever so slightly. “What makes you think this is my first time?” he suggested to which Liquid leaned in and began to suckle on the man's neck, Derreck emitting a groan.

Taking it as a message to continue, Liquid began to lick and kiss up the man's neck until he reached his chin, Derreck leaning his head back with a gasp. Liquid tilted his own head back with a grin of growing satisfaction but was taken by complete surprise when Derreck butted his head forward and smoked his forehead against Liquid's muzzle, the force enough to knock Liquid off Derreck's lap and be sent tumbling into his chair.

Liquid screamed in agony as he cradled his busted nose, Derreck musing to Evan through thought. 'I planned this out. Don't worry, I wouldn't seriously indulge in a stallion rapist...' much to Evan's relief.

Derreck looked to Liquid as he screamed out for help. “I don't like stallions,” he quipped just as a bulky thug rushed in and backhanded Derreck's body to the floor. The big man crashed and tumbled painfully, still strapped to the chair.

Liquid looked to him with a fiery glare, holding his bloody muzzle. “Ta... take him to Belle... le-let her... do what she wants with him!” Liquid yelped out, still in pain before rushing off. The big stallion booted Derreck in the ribs, sending him crashing into a wall but laughing all the while, even while blood came spewing from his mouth in a wheeze for breath...

Liquid pulled out a bag of frozen peas, gently placing them over his tender muzzle. Using his magic, the stallion slowly walked over to his private chambers, opening the door and looking triumphantly to his prize that lay tied down to the bed.

Liquid came and sat beside the mare, who gave a muffled yelp, her mouth bound with a cloth. Very tenderly, Liquid removed the mouth gag, immediately getting an earful from the still bound mare. “Hush now, or I'll stuff it with a dirty sock,” Liquid threatened calmly, Echo begrudgingly going silent.

Liquid took a deep inhale before readjusting the bag of frozen peas, Echo snickering. “How do you like my friend?” she quipped, Liquid sighing with a roll of the eyes.

“He's a... an interesting fellow...” he trailed off and looked to her with a risen brow. “Why haven't you tied him to a chair yet?” he asked in a suggestive tone, Echo spitting to the side.

“Because I'm not some sick perverted rapist like you,” she shot, Liquid sighing, almost in a defeated way.

“Is that how you view me? Don't you remember all those times we shared? All the things I taught you? Those nights beneath the stars in the meadows?...” Liquid asked, making Echo painfully remember all the good times...

In the basement of the building, Derreck was strung up with chains, the snapping echo of a whip clearing audible for all nearby to hear. Derreck held back his grunts of pain as the gruesome mare lashed the whip several more times across his bare back.

Blood dripped down his brutalized skin, dampening his underwear, his battle suit having been stripped before the torture began. Belle huffed in slight exhaustion as she let loose with everything she had, lashing him several times with excruciatingly painful strikes of the whip.

She began panting, gasping just slightly as she caught her breath, Derreck groaning just slightly, and under his breath. Belle trotted around to his front side and looked to the man as he dipped his head, spitting some cherry red blood to the floor. “Interesting...” Belle commented, not perking the man's attention.

She lifted his chin up with her hoof and smirked. “You know... most stallions are begging me at this point...” she informed him. “Not many go this long without at least screaming... I'm not that charming, you know,” she incurred, Derreck snickering.

“Really? I would've never guessed,” he joked getting a stab to the gut from a small pointy object that made him wheeze and gasp for air in a painful way. The man looked down to see a pin jabbed just beneath his rib cage, right into his Solar Plexus.

“It's true, I'm not much of a visual charmer... but...” she took out another fine pin and began to drive it into his bicep. Derreck's lips parted as he gasped quietly, quietly groaned as Belle slowly drove it all the way through his bicep, the bloodied tip finally poking out the opposite side.

“... GWAHHH! Ughaahhh!” Derreck held his breath for as long as possible before wheezing for air, the pin in his Solar Plexus making it extremely difficult to even breath.

“I am very proficient at missing vital areas... and making stallions scream my name...” she said in a cynical way. “Nopony has ever made it past four...” she told him as she pulled out a little pouch and unraveled it, revealing a large selection of pins and needles. “I have forty... and I can do this all night,” she told him as she began to drive one through the right side of his neck...

Upstairs in Liquid's room, the stallion rubbed his hoof up and down Echo's inner thigh, much to her discomfort. “You know... I've always wondered...” the stallion spoke in a gentle tone, Echo snapping back in an irritated one.

“Wondered what?!” she scoffed just before yelping as a syringe was jabbed into her thigh. She let out a scream as Liquid injected her with a light green fluid. “WHAT THE HAY IS THAT?!” she screamed, the stallion not answering immediately as he finished with the injection and tossed the needle away.

“Don't worry, I'll explain after... but while I wait for it to take effect, I want to tell you a little story,” he told her as he stood up and walked over to the nearby counter and grabbed himself a shot glass.

He used his magic to levitate over a bottle of wine, pouring himself a generous amount before turning to his unwilling guest. “Would you care for a glass?” he asked, Echo shooting him a glare. “Fine, so be it,” he replied as he took a small sip and promptly returned to her side.

“You know of course... the tale of The Mare in The Moon?” he asked, Echo not answering. “Yes well... as the story goes...” Liquid stopped for just a moment to take another sip. “Well, Celestia brought upon light and the sun's warmth to the world, bringing about life and love... her elegance... her beauty... grew so great, that it cast a shadow upon her beloved little sister, said shadow only growing darker as the days and nights past by...”

Liquid twirled his glass in circles and took another sip. Echo took a deep, heavy breath, beginning to pant slightly with a little bit of sweat forming above her brow as Liquid told the story. “And you see, when Celestia finally took notice that others had not been cherishing Luna's gift to the world, she realized... in that moment, she herself... had not been loving Luna to all that she deserved... and it was all she could do but watch as Luna's unhappiness grew.” Liquid finished his glass of wine and set it aside.

“And so it was... that Luna's transformation was partly in due on Celestia... whom in the end banished her once beloved sister to the moon...” Liquid leaned back and rested his front hooves on his lap.

Echo felt a flush of arousal strike her, though she hadn't the least bit of knowledge why. Liquid looked to her and perked a brow as he spoke. “Ahh yes... I suppose you're wondering about that serum I gave you. Truth drug, but of my own concoction. It's far more powerful than anything the authorities would give you but it... uhh... has a slight... side effect. You see... it gives you a rush of euphoria, much like an aphrodisiac... do you feel it?” he asked knowing.

Echo grunted and whined. “Aphro... aphrodisiac?” she asked and Liquid nodded. “Nnn...nghahh...” was all Echo could manage, not wanting to indulge the stallion. Liquid stood up and looked out the window to the moon above.

“Oh yes! Of course, you're right. Back to the story... you see, only after Celestia banished her sister to the moon did she realize how painfully taken for granted she had treated her sister and... for over millennium she walked Equestria alone and sorrowful,” Liquid told her, Echo glaring at him.

“What are you getting at?” she snarled through her teeth and the stallion sighed.

“Much like Celestia... only after I... did what I did, did I realize how much I missed you and how wrong I had been,” he stated honestly.

“So now the point comes it,” she snapped and he huffed.

“Listen kiddo... we were both in the wrong-” she cut him short.

“I RELEASED A CHANGELING YOU WERE TORTURING! I WAS BEING MERCIFUL!” She screamed, Liquid stifling a laugh.

“It never pays to be merciful... do you love the man downstairs?” he asked, Echo going silent but the truth serum quickly kicking in.

“Nnnn... not at first but... I fell in love with him... but now... I was just trying to help,” she whined, Liquid nodding.

“And it seems that whenever you think you're helping... it always goes the wrong way, no?” he stated, much to Echo's dismay. Liquid took a deep breath before letting it out in one go. “I'll be straight with you kid... back then at the lab, I... I overreacted,” he said, Echo's expression turning to great anger.

“Y-you... overreacted?!” she screamed. “That's your excuse?” Liquid held up a hoof.

“I said I'd be straight with you, not that I'd explain myself... much like Celestia neglecting her sister and then banishing her... my actions were not justifiable, and I have had to live with the consequences since-” Echo cut him short.

“WHAT CONSQUENCES?! I'M THE ONE LEFT UNABLE TO BEAR FOALS!” She screamed, Liquid patting her on the thigh, her nethers damp with arousal due solely to the potent drug.

“Trust me love... I've been as tormented as you...”

Back in the basement Derreck groaned loudly as a pin was forced beneath his collarbone and out the other side. His jaw lay slack as he tried to wheeze for oxygen. His body had been forced to the absolute limit, pins jabbed into nearly every pressure point or sensitive area save for his genital region.

Belle rubbed her chin as she looked to the man, whom reminded her of a porcupine with all the pins sticking out of his body. Belle patted the man's side, making him stifle a grunt. “I do say... quite impressive indeed. Never in my life have I met somepony as resilient as yourself but I know that every stallion has his limits...”

She grabbed a grisly looking, old rusty knife off the counter before standing to her hindlegs and leaning towards the man. “I always make stallions scream my name...” she told him in an aroused tone as she began to bring the tip of the knife towards Derreck's good eye.

The man began to lean back but was held from going any further by the chains shackled around his wrists. The mare continued to bring the knife ever closer to his eye. However, just as she drew dangerously close, Derreck drove his right elbow across her chin, spinning her around.

With a hefty kick between the legs, he lifted her body off the ground, supporting her by the crotch with his foot as he tied the binding chains around her neck then yanked. There was a small audible 'CRCCK!' that echoed in the room just as her body went limp.

Dropping her body, Derreck pulled tight on the chains and gave them a heave. The plate connecting the chain to the wall wiggled slightly, the concrete around the bolted plate cracking slightly. Derreck gave another powerful heave and the plate burst free from the wall.

As quickly as he could manage, Derreck pulled free all the torture pins before patting down the dead mare and retrieving the keys for his shackles. “Sorry to break yer record,” he quipped before making for the room's door...

Liquid rubbed his face with a sigh. “You know kiddo... it took me a long time to accept it but... in the end I wasn't mad at you for what happened... I was mad at myself,” he said, Echo looking away.

Liquid leaned down, using his hoof to pull her face to face with him. “Echo... do you still... somewhere deep down... have any semblance of love for me?” he asked. Echo bit her lip hard, not knowing the answer. Leaning his face down, he went to kiss her, but a massive explosion outside shook him back to all fours.

He raced to the window just as an eruption of gunshots went off, screaming echoing from the street soon after. “That'll be my friend... he's coming for you,” Echo stated surely, Liquid gulping deep as he watched the big man rush out onto the street with his H&K pistol drawn, black duster coat fluttering as the man performed daring acrobatics.

The man would spin, jump and roll out of the way of crossbow shots, all the while returning fire with his .45 caliber handgun. As Liquid watched for less than a minute it became all too clear. The legends were true...

That thing... that man, was The Punisher... he who punished the guilty and freed the innocent from their oppression. Liquid's spine shivered as he spotted the white skull, fully brandished, on the chest of the man's otherwise black shirt.

Liquid didn't even look back to Echo as he rushed out of the room. The mare, finally able to partially think straight, went to work on freeing herself from the ties around her wrists and ankles, jolting every time there was an explosion.

At one point she thought the world was ending as she heard somepony saying something along the lines of kam-ah-has, followed by a ground shaking tremor force. Finally freeing herself, she wiped her horn clean of the magic subduing goo and grabbed her utility belt.

Making for the door, she whipped it open even before she had her utility belt properly buckled on. A big brutish thug stood guard, whom immediately spun around as the door was yanked open. Echo gasped as the thug looked down upon her, quickly going to grab her.

Echo's horn lit up and blasted him with a powerful surge of energy that sent him tumbling over the rail and to the floor below. Looking over the railing, she spotted the stallion's body. Echo figured to herself he must have landed head first, as he wasn't moving and looked to have a broken neck from the fall...

Evan leapt behind a crate as Derreck slid behind a nearby pile of filled burlap sacs. Arrows and crossbow bolts stabbed into their cover and the duo quickly returned fire on the enclosing hoard of thugs and gang members.

Belladonna's slide locked back and Evan swore. “Almost out of ammo!” he yelled to Derreck just as the bigger man was feeding a fresh magazine to his own gun.

“I know the feeling!” Derreck yelled back over all the commotion before pulling out a magazine for Belladonna and passing it to Evan. “Last one. Make em-” he was cut off as Evan quickly slapped the loaded mag into his gun, thumbed the release and fired several times towards Derreck.

The big man flinched but then realized Evan had blown away a stallion that had gotten behind him. “Nice shootin' Tex!” Derreck quipped before thumbing the release on his own gun and spitting out death towards those foolish enough to charge them head on.

Even with their superior weaponry, the two were helplessly out manned, outgunned and quickly running out of ammo. “FUCK ALL OF YOU! FUUUUUUCK YOU!” Derreck roared just as a red stick of dynamite landed by their feet. Evan and Derreck both mad a dash for it, ponies across the street trying to get off pot shots with their crossbows while the two were in the open.

“FUUUU-” Derreck yelled just as the dynamite stick went off, hurtling the two through the side door of the neighboring building. Blood dripped down Evan's forehead, his pure white monk-ish uniform now tattered and stained with blood.

There was yelling outside as the gangs of the town surrounded the building, yelling out and forming a plan. Before Evan could even get to his knees, several flaming bottles were tossed into the building. As they shattered, the fire spread at an alarming rate. Derreck yelled out in frustration as the building caught ablaze. He fired off several rounds before his gun ran dry. “SON OF A BITCH!” he swore.

A lone stallion rushed to the building and hucked a flaming bottle at Derreck, which shattered against his body and lit him aflame. Evan took aim on the culprit and fired a perfect double tap on the stallion's chest. The perp was tossed back from the immense force as Evan turned to his smoldering friend who was rolling on the now smoking wood floor.

“Derreck!” Evan yelled as he looked to Belladonna, realizing she was empty. “I'm out! Whatta we do?!” he yelled, the other man staggering to his feet. The street was crawling with scum, armed to the teeth and looking for blood.

He closed his eye as he spoke. “The only thing we can do...” he spoke before tapping the device plugged into his right ear. A holoscreen popped up in front of his good eye as a little mouthpiece sprang out as well. “JUGGERNAUT!”...

Off in the distance, atop a lone hill overlooking the town, a set of headlights lit up in the night, piercing the darkness. The tuned diesel engine roared, a fume of black soot spewing out the large bore exhaust as the truck rumbled to life. Gearing into autopilot, the truck raced towards the town, towards its master...

Echo snuck through the darkness of the alleys between the buildings, doing her best not to be seen and using the night's darkness as her ally. There was now an impossible abundance of thugs crawling all over the town, all herding towards a burning building.

As Echo crouched down, she squinted her eyes to take a better look before gasping. “Evan!” She quickly covered her muzzle, realizing she had spoken aloud, though luckily all the gang members were out of ear distance and focused mainly on burning the men alive or waiting until they tried to escape to shoot them down in the street.

Before she even had time to begin thinking of a plan, a blundering heap of armored metal came crashing through the building beside her, going in through back and coming smashing out the front. Juggernaut took debris and interior with it as the vehicle cranked itself into a fishtail, side swiping the burning building...

The building's front wall was torn down by the lumbering battle truck, the back end now facing the two men as the back door swung open. Evan heaved Derreck's arm over his shoulder and the two staggered into the truck, Evan pushing Derreck in first before himself hopping in.

Derreck banged on the interior hull. “Juggernaut! Floor it!” he roared, the truck going into maximum overdrive as it sped away. A sense of urgency came over Evan as he spoke up.

“No, wait! Echo!” he yelled, somehow sensing her presence nearby and knowing they couldn't leave her behind. Just as they past the building Juggernaut had driven right through, Evan pointed out. “Right there! Hold up! BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP!” He yelled out, the battle truck acknowledging him and cranking into reverse.

Echo nearly gasped as she fell to her haunches while the lumbering armored truck came to a screeching halt before her, back door still open as Evan reached his hand out. “Come wit me if you want to live,” he said in an almost instinctive way, his mind not having told himself to speak in the accent.

'YES! Perfected performance!' Evan thought silently as he held out his hand. Derreck leaned over Evan's shoulder and yelled out to the mare. “You wanna live or what?! COME ON!” He yelled, jolting Echo and having her mindlessly grab Evan's hand who in turn pulled her into the vehicle's rear cabin.

Evan turned to Derreck just as Juggernaut began to squeal away yet again, arrows pinging harmlessly off the armored shell of the truck. “SO WHAT NOW?!” Evan yelled over all the commotion.

Derreck only took a moment to think before his answer came out. “The alien ship gun!” he stated, Echo perking a brow. Derreck hauled out a rather large machinegun, quickly mounting it with the barrel facing out the back door.

Evan fumbled with the large cartridge shells, all being bound together in a linked belt. Derreck flipped open the top on the receiver and looked to Evan who got ready to feed the big fifty.

Just as the smaller man went to feed the cartridge belt to the mounted machinegun, a lucky arrow caught him in the shoulder, dropping him to his back as he yelped out in pain. Derreck threw his body over him as more arrows pinged off the backside of the truck.

“Shit... stay down!... Snake!” Derreck called to Echo, whom felt deflated from hearing him call her such. “Grab the ammo belt!” he ordered, Echo quickly doing as she was told. “Don't hold it with your magic though, it can't have too much resistance,” he yelled to her over the sound of the roaring engine.

Echo took hold of the hefty belt of ammunition, Derreck feeding the first round into the gun and shutting the receiver top before promptly racking the charging handle. “Evan, can you drive?” he asked the smaller man, whom yanked free the arrow in his shoulder and nodded, taking the driver seat.

Time seemed to slow for Echo as her mind began to play tricks on her. The smaller man's body seemed to fade out, much like that of a ghostly image, the truck's 'Auto pilot' indication flickering on and off as the man began to drive.

Looking back to the bigger man, he seemed to change vividly. The scarred, battered man she knew as Derreck, and then shading into a form much like the other man, Evan. But his second form was brutalized. Gruesome holes throughout his body that bleed profusely, his clothes damp with blood, and a piece of slag lodged in his forehead.

Her mind was suddenly snapped out of her trance as a thundering chatter erupted. A mighty burst of muzzle flashes erupted, further illuminating the night, shadows cast across the ghost town as the mighty machinegun opened up.

Echo watched in slight horror as pony thugs were quite literally chewed in half, losing limbs and other such body parts as Derreck cut lose with his mounted gun. Originally configured with a stock and pistol grip handle, Derreck had redesigned it with two hand grips and a trigger plate, much like the original M2 Browning the gun was designed off.

The belt of shells glided along Echo's hooves as she guided the belt of ammo towards the gun. Large empty brass spat out of the gun, along with the linkage, the man slowly swinging the barrel to and fro, chopping down dozens of thugs in the process.

Echo's stomach seemed to twist as she watched the horror. She wondered to herself, even if most of the ponies did deserve to be put down, did they deserve this style of execution? She looked to Derreck, now realizing that he was roaring and that she was deaf from the chattering heavy machinegun. He kept shifting in her mind, between that of himself and the bloodied version of Evan.

The gun shook on the tripod, muzzle flashing and the barrel starting to heat up. Echo looked back out to the town as the truck's emergency brake was engaged, the front tires turning instinctively as Juggernaut promptly pulled off a 180 degree slide.

As the truck skidded around, Derreck continued to hose down ponies with heavy metal jacketed slugs that completely chewed apart anything they struck. A group of ponies tried feverishly to shoot down The Punisher but instead were themselves cut down as a hail of .50 caliber shells completely eviscerated the porch they were hiding on.

Ponies began to scatter as a group of pegasi mobilized into formation, skyrocketing after the truck. Derreck elevated the machinegun's aim and began to mow down the airborne unit whom quickly broke off pursuit.

Derreck's entire body tensed, muscles rippling as he held the gun tight while it went off, chewing apart anything he aimed upon. The man let out one continuous war scream as the town's population was quickly cut down.

A lone thug burst out of a building's front entrance, his body covered in belts of dynamite sticks and other various explosives. Lighting a bundle of TNT, the stallion hucked the explosives at the truck which landed by it's intended target and soon erupted.

The entire truck rocked, coming off the ground slightly and running on two wheels as Echo was knocked to the side. Her head and mind spun as she was dazed, beginning to see visions again. Looking to the big man, he again seemed to shift to the blood riddled version of himself, whom unholstered Belladonna and took aim on the perpetrator.

Firing a trio of shots, the gun recoiled in his hand with every shot but he seemed to instinctively reacquire his target within a heartbeat and fire again. The stallion's explosive belt was struck with an aimed shot, one of the dynamite sticks going off and subsequently setting off all his other explosives.

The building he had been standing out front of blew apart in a fiery eruption of high explosive, again shaking the truck but not as badly as the first explosion. Echo shook off her daze and Derreck returned to his normal self. He looked to her with a plain expression and seemed to again change to his bloodied form. “Stay here... ah'll be back,” he told her in a deep tone.

Echo watched as the big man stood up, flipping open a large case and slinging an all black sniper's rifle across his back, along with a deathly looking six barreled machinegun to his side. The blood riddled man stepped out of the now stationary, but still operational, Juggernaut.

Ponies scurried into formation near the blown apart building, taking aim on the man with illegal auto-bows and some unicorns with their own horns. They all watched in horror as the hellish man continued to slowly walk towards them, some of the thugs taking a step or two back.

As he neared ever closer, one of the stallions yelled out. “ALRIGHT, DROP 'IM!” The entire formation opened fire, magical blasts from unicorns and crossbow bolts shooting into the man. His clothing was quickly tattered and his skin was chewed up, some of the shots just grazing his body or missing completely.

As the man drew dangerously close, he drew out Belladonna, her chrome finish dulling slightly and the handle's engravings changing to that of a Yin-Yang. However, her worded engravings never changed, still brightly illuminated and reading out her name and prayer.

Burdy casually took aim at a stallion and popped him in the chest, the stallion's body knocked back from the immense force of the handgun. The others still continued to fire but ever so slowly, were shot down one by one. Each shot shook the gun in Burdy's hand, a massive muzzle flash spitting out of the gun along with a jacketed 300g slug.

As things continued to grow dire for the thugs, they split off and began to run. Burdy took aim with Belladonna and squeezed back on the trigger, but nothing happened. With a plain look, he examined the gun, the slide locked back.

Rather casually, he holstered the handgun and unslung the hefty six barreled machinegun from his side, hand-cranking the barrel just slightly before taking hold of the mighty cannon.

The barrels spun to life and the man looked to the town with an expressionless face. Turning to one side, he let loose on a building, the muzzle end of the gun a mere constant flash of light as a hail of bullets chewed apart the face of the building.

Ponies nearby began to scream in terror and scatter, now realizing the fight was truly lost. In a slow, sweeping arc, Burdy hosed down a line of houses with the Minigun, more and more ponies abandoning the fight and deserting the town as the hellish man brought his namesake legend back to life. He truly was, in every description of his name, The Punisher...

The barrels of the gun began to glow red hot and steam as the man slowly walked down the main street of the town, the buzzing of the machinegun louder than anything else. The man's face stayed expressionless... cold... empty...

Echo watched in terror and triumph. It was beyond anything she had ever seen in her life. Never before had she thought such a thing possible... not in Equestria anyhow. A lone crossbow shot drove into her flank, dropping her to the floor of the truck with a scream. The shot had been a stray, and a lucky one at that. She yelped out in agony as she tried to pull it free but could not muster the strength to push through the pain.

Outside, the buzzing eruption of gunfire came to an end as the weapon's ammunition supply was drained. There was still a whirring as the barrels continued to spin. Looking around to all the damage, the bloodied man dropped the hefty gun, continuing to ominously look from side to side.

The fires of the town could be seen for miles but was located so distantly from any other town that it fell upon blind eyes. The brighter illumination of the fires stretched out a few hundred feet, dimming as one got further away.

Thugs from the town continued to scurry in all different directions, giving up on the town and abandoning it for good. Looking to the distance, he spotted a certain green pony making a run for it.

Bringing Trillium, his jet black sniper rifle, to bear, he took close aim through the scope's magnification lens. Judging the distance between them, Burdy quickly compensated and squeezed the trigger.

The long rifle jolted in his tight grip, spitting out a long .30 caliber slug at supersonic speeds. In almost the same instant he heard the distant yelp of the stallion as the bullet tore clean through his lower hindleg.

Slinging the gun, the man began to walk back to the truck as his wounds slowly healed shut. Echo winced in pain but went completely silent as she looked to the man walking towards her. The fire in the background shadowed him in such a way she would've cried in fear had he been after her.

At first he looked like Evan. Older, but with smooth skin and a gentle appearance. As he continued to walk forwards his body seemed to change in her mind. His form took a far more powerful, masculine look. He also appeared younger but his facial features were heavily scarred.

His body changed one final time, turning into a mix between the duo. He looked much younger, like a man in his prime, but with a facial recognition closer to Evan's. However, his entire body was riddled with wounds that dampened his clothing.

A large piece of slag jutted out from his forehead, blood dripping down his face. The white skull on his tattered shirt seemed to be burning with a dark blue flame. “Guh! ECHO!” came Evan's voice, herself being shaken from her trance like state and the man's body returning to proper form.

He rushed to her side, examining her wound. “A-are... are you alright?” he gasped, Echo rolling her eyes.

“I've just been shot, dingus... how do you think I am?” she grunted, the pain in her flank nearly unbearable.

“Uhh... right...” his hands lowered to the crossbow bolt. “I-I... I know you said n-not to touch your... your flank b-but...” he slowly pressed his hands to her flank, around the base of the wound.

Echo rolled her eyes and winced in pain. “It... it's gonna hurt a little bit,” he told her.

“J-just... just do it already!” she cried out just before a yelp left her mouth as Evan yanked out the arrow. The wound spurted a bit of blood but Evan applied immediate pressure before leaning his head down.

Very gingerly, he pressed his lips to the wound, Echo gasping in slight pleasure, the aphrodisiac Liquid had given her earlier spiking her arousal. “GWAH! D-D-DID YOU JUST...” Echo trailed off, Evan looking to her as he wiped his lips of blood. It was then she realized there was a slight numbing feeling in her flank before all the pain resided.

Echo looked back to the man and spoke in a flustered way, her cheeks going cherry red. “Did you just kiss my flank?” she nearly gushed, Evan's own cheeks going faint red.

“W-w-wull... well I mean... when you put it like that-” he was cut off as she kissed his cheek, knowing full well what he had actually done.

“Thank you,” she whispered to him but was suddenly interrupted by the other man, who coughed to gain their attention.

“Well... I hate to break up your little blush-fest but... do you still wanna kill that stallion or what?” he asked...

Liquid staggered to all fours but then flumped down again as the pain in his leg became to much to bear. He began to drag himself along, cursing all the while.

Liquid gasped as he looked up, looking down the business end of Belladonna's triangular muzzle. “Ah-ah-ahh,” Derreck stated, Liquid gulping.

“Y-you!” He snarled, Derreck shrugging.

“Yeah, you're right... me...” he murmured before looking to Echo. Offering her the gun as he spoke to her. “Here... you might as well do it. Sate your vengeance and fulfill your greatest desire.” Echo grasped the hefty handgun with her magic and levitated it at Liquid, who grunted in dismay.

“No... no wait! Echo! DON'T DO IT!” He pleaded.

“Just be thankful I'm making this painless,” she snapped back before pulling on the trigger.

She nearly gasped as the handgun's hammer snapped down but the gun didn't go off. Derreck merely chuckled as Echo looked at the gun with a blankly confused stare. “Oh yeah... I forgot that gun's particular about stuff,” he laughed as he drew out his H&K MK 23 pistol. “Here, use this one. It'll get the job done,” he told her, while Liquid tried to crawl away.

Derreck stomped on his injured leg, making the rapist scream out in agony. “Not one more yard, you little shit!” he snapped.

“WAIT!” Evan gasped as he grabbed Belladonna from Echo's grasp. Echo and Derreck looked to the man. “M-maybe... maybe we shouldn't. If we do... how much better are we than them?” he asked honesty, Derreck in turn rolling his eyes.

“Evan... do you remember Tristan?” he asked, bringing back painful memories to the stallion. “This stallion... is just like him. Raped her and got away with it. Don't tell me if you came face to face with Tristan again you'd seriously consider bringing him in instead?!” Derreck snapped back.

“I'm just saying think about it!” Evan yelled back, the two getting into each other's faces.

“THINK ABOUT WHAT?!” Derreck yelled aggressively. “HE RAPED HER! RIPPED OUT HER... whatever it was, and left her barren! What's there to think about?!” he yelled.

Evan was fast on the counter however. “Once you kill him, there's no going back on it. If you decide afterwards that you didn't truly want a vengeful death, it'll be too late!” Evan snapped, Derreck rolling his eyes.

“She dragged us halfway across the fucking country! I think she has her mind made up! Goddammit Echo, shoot the prick already!” Derreck ordered, Echo now conflicted and Liquid speaking up.

“Echo... look deep, and think about what you really want. Think back on all the times we had,” Liquid cooed her like a snake charmer.

She became completely divided. One moment looking to the two arguing men who began bickering amongst themselves, the next to the stallion whom until now, she had wanted dead beyond anything else.

“Echo...” Liquid purred. “Do you truly want to kill me in cold blood?” he asked in a suave voice, the truth serum kicking in and making her pause. Time seemed to slow until she finally made up her mind. “You and I, have unfinished business!” she snarled coldly, Liquid sighing as Echo readied the gun.

"Doll... you ain't kiddin'," he replied in a defeated voice. In a quick instant however, Liquid lunged at her, knocking the gun aside and swinging out a small blade, slashing at her. In quick response, Echo slapped the outside of his wrist, knocking the swipe harmlessly to the side before trying to grab her own blade. Liquid, despite his injuries, spotted her move and swung his blade low, slicing off her utility belt and flinging it away.

Driving home for a stab, Liquid thrust with his blade. Lightning fast, like a lunging snake, Echo used her left hoof to slap away his thrust whilst driving her right hoof into the center of his chest and twisting it. Liquid winced in minor discomfort as Echo cocked back her foreleg, like that of a King Cobra coiling for a strike.

In a blur of motion, she drove five perfectly placed strikes into various locations on his torso. Liquid gasped painfully, a spew of blood leaving his mouth and splattering against Echo's face. With a wheeze, he hacked again, more blood...

There was a sudden, and most bitter silence that surrounded them as the two big men stopped fighting, sensing something had changed. Echo's eyes went wide as she realized what she had done, now unable to go back on it. Liquid was left blinking with a most pale expression, soon coming to the realization that his fate was now sealed in the chambers of time.

Echo's hoof slowly retracted, shaking feverishly as her lip quivered. She looked to her former lover, remembering all the cherished times they had together, and not the bad ones. Liquid very calmly, and smoothly, wiped his chin clean with a hoof. “You learned the... Five Step... Heart Exploding, Strike Technique...” he whispered.

Echo nodded before speaking. “There's actually six strikes, when you include the twist in the beginning...” Her voice was shaky and betrayed her rising emotions, partly in due to the serum she had been given.

“I... I'm so... so proud of you Echo,” he told her honestly. “Who taught you?” he asked curiously. Echo looked to Derreck and Evan, whom themselves had turned to the duo and waited while the events unfolded.

“He did,” she responded, motioning to Derreck, knowing there was truly only one man, and that it was Derreck's mind games playing tricks on her to make her believe there was truly two. Liquid looked to the big brute and gave him a knowing nod.

“Than... he truly is a warrior of unimaginable legend and... soon enough, so be it, you will be too,” he said proudly, rubbing his hoof gently down her cheek. “Why didn't you tell me?” he asked softly, tears now coming to Echo's eyes as she shook her head.

“I... I don't know... I guess... it's because I'm a snaky little bitch,” she whimpered, holding back her sobs. Half of her was overjoyed with triumph, the other half bitterly sorrowful for reasons she couldn't explain. Liquid gasped in retort, shaking his head.

“No! No, you were never a snaky bitch. I... I was just an arrogant, blind asshole...” he trailed off and looked into her eyes. “You are a wonderful, beautiful pony... my favorite, little pony... but every now and then... you can be a real cunt,” he told her, the two sharing a brief laugh together.

Liquid tucked in his shirt, making his suit coat cover the blood stains now on his white shirt. “So...” he began. “How do I look?” he asked calmly. Echo held the stallion's hoof tenderly, her heart thumping as she nearly burst into sobs, her emotions spiked beyond control by the serum but even so, she knew what she had done and knew she couldn't go back on it now, just like Evan had warned.

“You look ready,” she told him assuringly and the stallion took a deep breath. Standing up, he turned around and began to slowly walk away, limping slightly from the rifle wound in his leg. And, true to the legend's tale, after he had taken but a mere five steps, he collapsed to the ground, dead as dead could be.

Derreck sighed as he walked over to Juggernaut, setting his gear away as Evan walked over to Echo's side. “It's why I said to wait...” he told her, knowing how she felt. He took off his holy necklace and handed it to her. “Go with god now... and maybe he'll show you the way...” Echo looked down to the necklace he had given her, thinking deep.

When she looked back up however, the man was gone. She looked around and saw she had been left alone with Derreck, whom was fitting his gear to leave. Trotting over, she spoke to the man.

“So what now?” she asked, still shaken by the events that had unfolded. Derreck wiped his hands off on his pants before turning to her, perking a brow.

“Damn... hope yah don't mind me saying Echo... you look hot,” he expressed himself bluntly, making Echo blush as the aphrodisiac coursing through her veins took further effect on her mind.

“E-Echo?” she asked, hearing her name from him in the first time since he had disowned her.

“Well yeah... unless you've come to liking me call you Snake? I dunno... what you did was wrong but I can't hate you forever for it... goddess, you're giving me a semi,” he said before taking off his shirt.

“W-w-wa-what are you doing?!” she stammered just before he tossed his shirt at her.

“It's the whole... soaked in your enemy's blood look... I like it a lot,” he stated and the mare shivered, wondering if she should instead just leave the blood on her fur for him to stare at. Quickly realizing it was the serum doing the thinking for her, she wiped the blood away, but not before taking a deep inhale of the man's shirt, breathing in the scent of his powerful musk that made her entire body quiver.

Taking the shirt away, a blush came across her cheeks as she handed him back the shirt, the man setting it aside and standing with his chest bare. “So you don't hate me anymore?” she asked and the man sighed as he motioned with his finger for her to come closer.

Leaning in she was shocked as the man grabbed her, pulling her body close to his own, pressing his lips to hers. Her eyes went wide but wider still as she felt his hand pressed to her stomach, a numbing sensation coming across her abdomen.

Suddenly the man pulled away with a grunt of pain, falling to his knees and swearing vulgarly. “JESUS H. FUCKING CHRIST!” He groaned, falling to his side and grasping his gut. Echo looked to the man and gasped as she realized he now had a deep scar on his abdomen, one like her own...

A hoof touched where her scar once was, now vacant and soft as it naturally used to be. “HOLY SHIT! WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU! FUUUUUUCK!” Derreck roared as he rolled around on the ground in agonizing pain. Echo blinked blankly as she rubbed her belly once more before taking her hoof away.

Finally coming to a stop, the man groaned and just withered there for a moment before the scar on his gut slowly faded and he rose back up. “Why did you do that?” Echo asked, knowing full well what he had done.

“Now... in the future, when you bear a foal... when it grows up... whenever you look to it, into his or her eyes, and say you love them... you'll be haunted by the memory, the knowing... that it was me... and me alone, that gave you a second chance... and your children, will be because of me,” he told her.

She planted a kiss on his cheeks, her lower region growing warm in arousal from the aphrodisiac that was still running her mind a mess. “Thank you,” she whispered and Derreck blinked blankly.

“Oh goddess dammit...” he leaned against the truck and put his cheek into the palm of his hand as he grumbled. “I try to forever punish the mare, and she turns around and thinks of it as a gift.” Echo stood to her hindlegs and pressed her lips to the man's in a feverish display of lust but also as thanks.

“The ability to give life is the greatest gift...” she whispered before their lips met again in fiery passion.

The man just shrugged as he thought to himself, his shaft going from a semi to a full rock hard erection in an instant. 'Well... that escalated quickly...'

Echo pressed the man's body between herself and the truck's hull, her front hooves wrapped around his neck as one of her lower legs wrapped around his waist and dampened his crotch with her sopping box, partially in due to the serum but also her own natural arousal.

Echo's tongue penetrated the man's mouth, the duo beginning to moan into one another. She explored his depth, most fascinated with his predator-like canines, making her body shiver.

Twirling their bodies, Derreck swung her through the back door of Juggernaut, laying her flat on her back against the floor of the battle truck. Echo gasped in pleasure as the man began to slowly kiss and suckle her neck, his hips slowly grinding against her own.

Her horn lit up and grasped his belt, slipping it off and yanking down his pants as well. The man grunted in effort as he dragged her body slightly back and crawled fully atop of her, kicking aside his pants and underwear, now fully bare.

Their lips again connected, their bodies moving against one another. The red mare beneath the man moaned pleasurably as she felt his bare skin rub against her soft fur body, his hard erection dripping precum onto her belly.

Her front hooves explored his back, running up and down it. The man's kisses and suckles moved down her neck, making her shiver as he got to her collar bone, his deadly canines brushing against her skin just briefly, making her quiver beneath him.

Her front hooves ran down his muscular arms as she moaned to him. “Bite me,” she whispered in a hushed voice. Derreck perked a brow.

“What?” he asked, strangely confused.

“Bite me, and make me your mare,” she whined and he kept his brow risen.

“I... ah-ha-ha... I'm not some kinda vampony, you know,” he laughed and she huffed.

“Just bite, you stud!” she whined out. The man rolled his eyes and bit down on her neck, hard enough to hurt, but not hard enough to pierce skin. Echo screamed out in pleasurable pain whilst her hindlegs wrapped around the man's hips.

Holding her in a tight grip, the man's hips leaned back, finding his mark. It wasn't hard, as her box was sopping wet and drooling like some kind of dog. 'Goddess she's wet... what's gotten into her?' he thought to himself before smirking. 'Me, pretty soon.'

The man pressed the tip of his erection into the mare's wet flower, the two moaning in unison from the shock wave of pleasure that ravaged their bodies. He pushed inwards, her outer lips folding around his length as he began to slowly penetrate her, inch after meaty inch of his cock sliding into her velvety hole.

Echo moaned out wildly in pleasure. The serum amplifying her pleasure a good ten times over, her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth as she let out another throaty moan. With a final shove, the man drove himself into the mare, Echo letting out a squeal as she hit her peak rather early, juices spurting out from her love tunnel, slipping past the man's cock and drooling out onto the floor of the truck.

Echo shuddered and shivered as her orgasm raged on while the man began to pull back for another thrust, her senses blurring out of control. She couldn't even piece together words of pleasure, just vocal moans and whines.

Derreck slid back into her with a relatively soft thrust, making Echo squeal in further delight as her orgasm dragged on, her pussy leaking femcum like a dripping faucet. Her entire body shook and shivered as she felt the man's girth stretching her wide. In her euphoric state, she could feel every texture of the man's cock, every vein, the ridge of where the cock's head started, everything...

The man's mouth left her neck, leaving his mark clearly visible as he pressed his lips to hers again. Echo was lost in bliss, not even bothering to wrestle his tongue as he dominated her, his tongue driving into the back of her throat. Her mind was lost in bliss, a rainbow of colors tainting her vision as she succumbed even further to her ongoing orgasm that didn't seem to end.

She managed a thought, through all the lust. 'What if... I'm not having an orgasm... what if there's still something more?' she asked herself, before promptly getting lost in all the fiery lust...

The man continued sliding in and out of the mare, her pussy's inner walls suckling against his shaft with a schlucking noise. The back of the truck quickly reeked of their sex, the puddle on the floor only growing larger as time went on.

The man grabbed her hips, gripping them tightly as he continued to thrust her, her tight hole squeezing down on him so pleasurably he knew he'd go off at any moment, though when he hadn't a clue.

Derreck was lost in a world of rather plain, rather vanilla pleasure. It felt so good, almost the best, but he yearned for more which was slowly being fed to him. He leaned into her, his tongue slowly going up her neck and making her shudder. Stopping at the base of her ear, he leaned up a little further and nibbled on the tip.

Echo, through all the moans, managed a giggle as she rubbed her front hooves down his cheek, his neck and finally down his muscular, burly chest. Looking down, she watched as his shaft went in and out of her, coated in her juices and cum. Every time he slid into her, he went deep, but not as deep as he could go. It was almost like he was teasing her yet still fulfilling her desires.

She timed herself and as she felt him sliding into her, thrusted her hips into his groin, driving him that extra depth she so craved. Echo let out a scream as she felt his cock press against her cervix. Her moans continued to echo in the cabin of the truck as the man grunted, her inner muscles convulsing around his cock.

She just imagined in, through the hazy cloud of lust. The man driving himself deep, squirting his load deep into her new womb... seeding her. She wished to herself she could moan out for him to cream her, but couldn't manage the words through all the lusty whines.

Derreck huffed and snorted like a wild rutting bull, holding her body tight to his as he started to feel a tingly numbing sensation in his cock, knowing it would be only moments away. “Oh goddess... mhmm...” Derreck huffed, signaling his impending climax.

Echo felt him nearing, how his cock started to tense, his body stiffening. As he went to pull out, her hindlegs wrapped tightly around his back, pulling him in close and driving him one last time into her, his cock pressed firmly against her womb's entrance.

The duo both shuddered as he went off like a broken fire hydrant. The first jetted load set Echo off beyond the height of orgasmic high, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as she felt her womb being filled with the man's spunk. Her last thoughts being kinky aroused notations of how her fresh soil was being seeded...

The man grunted and huffed as his climax raged like a wild beast. Finally, after several moments, he sighed and flopped down beside her, pulling out of her well used slit with a 'SCHLUUUUCK!'

His seed leaked out of her in globs, along with her own juices as the man fitted a cigar into his lips. “A well deserved bonus...”

Evan's perspective...

I awoke with a bit of a chill. Despite the fact the back door to Juggernaut was closed, it was still rather frigid, more so than usual. I sat up and noticed it reeked rather badly in the truck... like vivid sex. I also took notice that Echo was gone, and in her place a small note tabbed to my pants.

'Dear Evan and Derreck,

Words alone cannot explain my thanks to you both, and know you will always hold a spot in my heart. I would've said goodbye, but you looked too cute when you were dozing, so I left you asleep. I guess this is goodbye, and I hope our paths cross again one day.

Truly yours,

Echo Jewel, xoxo'

The bottom of the note had a red lipstick kiss mark on it.

I sat up and rolled my shoulders, quickly spotting my Arnie cigar and fitting it into my mouth. Mouthing it from side to side, I slipped on my underwear and pants, not knowing why in Tartarus I would've fallen asleep with them off, especially with it being this cold out. Leaving my shirt off for the time being, I opened the back cabin door of Juggernaut and felt a guster of cold wind bluster past.

Shivering, I stepped out as flakes of ash from the burnt out ghost town fluttered down upon the world, coating the ground all around. 'Damn... Celestia is going to shit a chicken...' I thought to myself as I stepped out, still chewing on my cigar.

As I stood lonesome, I took notice of something about the ashes... namely when one landed on my nose and melted. It wasn't ash falling from the sky and coating the ground. It was snowing...

Author's Notes:

OH MAN! That was so awesome! I was imagining this all happening as I wrote it, Burdy being all like *Hums Terminator 2 theme* and he's like "VZZZZZZZ!" with the minigun and everything's blowing up in such a cliche 80s action movie way and then he's spouting one liners and then... yeah, they were having sex and I just face palmed like "Yeah... yeah they're having sex now" It's just... I dunno, seeing a dude humping a colorful unicorn is weird. Cheers yah'll, and if I don't get the next chapter out in time, Merry Christmas.//

I left the fridge open as I looked back to Scootaloo with a plain look. "Well, I'm gonna have some coffee. You want something to drink?" I asked the young filly. "You want some milk?" I asked her, who looked to me with those innocent little eyes of her. I tried to think about something else I could responsibly give to a filly but then just rubbed the back of my neck.

"I dunno, you want milk? I got... milk?" I asked unsurely. She smiled casually as she spoke.

"Coffee's fine," she told me and I rose a rather interested brow, challenging her decision. "What? I drink it! I'm cool like you and Dash!" she stated. I sighed with a roll of my eyes.

"I dunno kid. I drink espresso, you know... it's like coffee-zilla," I warned, Scootaloo shrugging and brushing off my warning like I had said it was just de-caf.

"I said I'm... cool..."