I’m not going to put this lightly. I am going to murder everyone that is involved with this little stunt. I am going to hunt them down, one by one. I am going to find them. I am going to tear their eyes out. I am going to cut them to the bone. I am going break every, single bone in the body. I am going to tear the wings off painfully slowly if they are pegasus. I am going to snap their horn off if they are a unicorn. And I am especially going to keep them alive and conscious for every, single, grueling moment they will experience within the next couple of hours, or however long it takes me to find them all. And there is no way in hell I am going to tell anyone about this. Of course also rescue Corey and Brit, as an afterthought.

Shit just got personal.

It was a normal day in Ammu Nation. Customers came by, some bough guns, some bought ammo. Some took a few practice runs back in the shooting range. And some came by to say hi to Dave. The man always loved a few friendly people. He was always helpful when someone asked about a certain gun, and he would use his vast knowledge of firearms to educate people on what type of gun if just right for them. Too bad they never bought the ‘big boys’, as he liked to call the barely-legal man-toys.

One was a simple flame thrower. Enough could be said about this sort of weapon, although not new to weapons market. It was not highly sought after, yet. For reasons of which outweigh the pros of owning such a weapon.

The second was a M134 Minigun, “The Fort”, Dave likes to call it. With an average fire rate of two to six thousand revolutions per second, it’s no wonder he calls it that. As much as the gun store owner wanted to make it look exactly the Heavy’s from Team Fortress Two. Having the ammo barrel attached to the gun rather than on the user's back was too detrimental to the user. So he had to stick with a back-mounted ammo case.

The third, and final Man-Toy. Was a simple Cheytac M200 .408 bolt-action sniper rifle. Specifically the variant with the fifty caliber barrel with an attachable silencer. That much else is needed to be known about this rifle when a customer asks about it. In his eyes anyway.

And it was also on this beautiful day when a man with a duffel bag strapped across his back came into the humble gun shop. The look of determination and death in his eyes almost made Dave freeze. But before fear could take the man, he remembered this man was just like any other customer.

Oh, how wrong he was.

The gray feathered, bat-winged Anthro made his over to Dave. He didn’t think he’d be that tall.

“What’re the strongest toys you got here?” The man asked with a straight face. His yellow eyes boring into Dave.

“U-uh,” Dave stuttered. “We-we got these...” He then listed off the three Man-Toys. THe man nodded approvingly. A dark smile stretching and curving his lips.

“I think I’ll take all three. With enough ammo to last a few months.” The man said. Which left Dave speechless. For half a second.

“Three Man Toys comin’ up!” Dave cheered. *Finally,* He thought *Someone who wants the Big Guns!* Dave reached up and, grabbed the guns, individually or course, and set them down on the counter. He then went to the back and, with the help of a dolly. Brought a few ammo boxes, two boxes for each gun. And two specially designed fuel tanks for the flame thrower. He then added the items on the cash register. Wow, he’d never thought he’d seen the price go beyond six digits. “Uh… that’ll bee...” Dave read off the overall price to the man. The man just smiled. A reaction dave was not expecting what so ever.

“Alright, lemme just...” The man took off the duffel bag and gently set it on the counter. It groaning under the apparent weight Dave wouldn’t think it had.

*What was in there?* Dave thought.

Dave got his answer when the Anthro unzipped the bag. There, right in front of the both of them. Was a duffel bag filled to the brim with glittering gold coins. Dave’s mind practically all but froze at the sight, but it quickly kicked back into gear.

This wasn’t the first time someone tried to pay Dave with fake money, or fake gold as the current situation stands.

“Nice try buddy, but I’m gonna need some real money if you’re gonna leave with this stuff.” Dave crossed his arms. A triumphant smirk on his face. The man’s smile never faltered.

“You got one of those testing kits?” He asked. Dave arched a brow.

“Yeah, what for?”

“How about you test this stuff?” The man asked. Dave, never letting that eyebrow go any lower, went to the back and grabbed a metal testing kit. Making sure to keep the emergency lock-down button on him. Once he had all he need Dave got back to the front desk, the man hadn’t moved a single inch the hole time. It was starting to creep Dave out.

After the kit was set on the desk, and the thing set up. Dave reached in and pulled out a single, probably fake, gold coin, it had a weird picture of a horse on one side, and another of a symbol he’d never seen before. It definitely weighed like it was made out of gold. He shook that thought from his head and scrapped the coin against the rough side of the bar. Earning a few curved pieces of yellow metal. Instead of flaking paint, revealing lead underneath.

Unwavered, Dave then poured a drop of special liquid onto the scraped metal. It then turned a very specific color.

Dave’s eye widened. It was legit gold! Gold coins!

“H-holy shit...” Dave whispered. “They’re real...”

“Yep,” The man, no, godsend, said. “So how much ya think will cover the cost?” The guy can't be serious. He can’t be! He just asking how many coins will pay than just giving him a few coins and calling it payment!

“Uh… Twenty?” Dave said after very carefully thinking about it. If this guy is just giving away gold he must be a big deal. It would be best not to ask for ‘too many’.

“Alright.” The man said as he poured out exactly nineteen coins, the one dave scraped joining its friends. Dave thought they literally floating out the bag. But he brushed it off as his imagination going wild. Because… Gold fucking coins!

“Here ya go!” The man said with a slightly smug smile. He then grabbed the guns and flamethrower. The minigun and flamethrower in one god damned hand, and the sniper in another. And then he looked at the dolly with the ammunition on it. And looked as if he was internally debating something. Before shrugging and the boxes of lead and copper-bullet filled case floated over to sit next to the guy. Dave couldn’t help but gawk at what he had seen. A few hundred pounds worth of ammunition just fucking floated over to the man.

“Later!” The yellow-eyed Anthro said before disappearing with a white flash of light. Dave noticed, right before the man disappeared, that his eyes looked… weird. He couldn’t put his finger on it. But he thought they looked like those camera eye things. But, one thought came to the forefront of Dave’s mind.

*Who the fuck was that guy?*

“Alright, now for a proper coat to conceal this when I go full pony.” I mutter to myself.

Sunny Fashions was having a not-so great day. With customer after customer demanding they receive some summer clothing. But due to there being shortage from yesterday’s sales, nopony’s going to get any anytime soon.

But fortunately for Sunny, today was a slow day. Or that his usuals finally got it through their thick, snobbish heads that they would be notified when he gets a fresh shipment of summer clothing. It was calming for the unicorn Stallion, finally, he can relax knowing that he won’t be bothered by any more annoying foals.

That is, until he heard to the bell hanging above the front door.

*Uuuuugh…* He internally groaned. *I thought they done bothering-* His train of thought fell off its rails when he saw the pony, or creature -he’s only heard of this… thing-, walk into his store. It was in his store.

The creature, the human, was inside his bucking store. A hero, a creature who helped the Elements of Harmony defeat the demon Tirek. Was in, his, store.

“Hello?” A… an appendage with five smaller things made a snapping noise in front of his face. Bringing the pony’s head from the clouds.

“E-excuse me sir.” Sunny said, trying to regain his composure. “I… wasn’t expecting you to grace my place of business with your presence.” Sunny bowed slightly. He picked his head back up and saw a very confused… Human. He remembers what his friends called the being before him, he thinks.

“Uhm… Thanks?” The, human, said uncertainly. Sunny quickly realized what was going on.

*Ah, he is as humble Fancy Pants made him out to be.* Sunny mentally remarked. *Marvelous!*

“I do beg your pardon, but aren’t you the… human, that aided the Element Bearers defeat the demon Tirek?” Sunny asked with practiced ease.

“... Yes...” The human answered. A quirked eyebrow, well, some kind of feather that resembled an eyebrow as Sunny saw it, never leaving its heightened spot.

“Then it is an honor to have in my place of business.” Sunny nodded his head. “What can I do for you today?” Sunny asked. Years of asking that same question making his tone perfectly friendly and light.

“Well, I would like a duster, if that exists here that is.”

“P-pardon?”

“A duster. Do you have any?” The human asked.

“Yes, yes we do.” Sunny cleared his suddenly dry throat. “Though, I might have to one tailored for somepony of your… impressive stature.” The human smiled.

“Oh that won’t be a problem.” He said. Before Sunny could question the cryptic being, a bright flash of white temporarily blinded him. Once the stars faded from his vision what he saw before him made his lower jaw nearly hit the floor.

Right there, right in front of him, a strangely tall changeling stood where the human once was.

“I’m sorry if this startled you.” The dark blue changeling said. “I just cast a transformation spell. Hold on...” The changelings was briefly engulfed in yellow flames and grayscale unicorn replaced the changeling. “There, much better.” The pony said, the previously double-toned voice also replaced by a more normal sounding one. “Oh, and sorry about that too.” The pony said. “And this is still me. The human, spell and all that junk.” Sunny shook his head.

“I… apologize. I did not know you were a… powerful mage.” The pony snickered.

“No one else knows either. Which reminds me...” The grey pony pulled out a bag -a bag Sunny never noticed until now- from behind him. And proceed to take a large pile of bits in his magic. He then presented them to Sunny. “This’ll be enough for you keep all this secret?” Sunny looked from the bits to the human turned changeling then pony many times. “And I mean everything that happens between us today.”

“O-of course!” Sunny said. He took the bits in his magic and stuffed them in the many pockets of his business suits. “My lips are sealed!” The stallion across from Sunny smiled.

“Good.” He nodded. “So… about that duster?”

“Grey, see anything yet?” ‘Brown’ asked her partner.

“No, you?” ‘Grey’ responded. Both of these ponies were standing right outside the ‘Naughty Filly’; a strip club that acted as the mercenary's base of operations.

“Nothing yet,” ‘Brown’ said back. Since they were on the lookout for a certain human. Other than the two they have tied up and out cold in the boss’s, well, former boss's room. “Shouldn't he be here at some point? He knows where we run business.”

“Yeah...” Grey said, just then Brown saw a figure down the right side street of the street they were scouting. “Wait, somepony’s commin’.”

“Gottcha, be ready.” Grey said. They both adopted guard-like stances as the figure got closer. Once the figure was close enough both hit-ponies saw it was just a unicorn stallion wearing some cloak-looking garment. The pony itself had grey fur and a jet black mane and tail. But what set both ponies off was that the stallion walking towards them had bright yellow eyes that clashed with his coat and mane color. The stallion came to a stop in front of them. But he didn’t turn to face them.

“Excuse you, sir, you should move along.” Grey said after a few tense moments of nothing happening. The stallion just continued to stand there, seemingly refusing to face either pony. “Sir? Are you deaf or somethi-”

Peu

Grey never got finished his question, as a quiet spitting sound came from the stallion. Brown turned to her partner just as he fell to the floor. A small hole gushing blood on the middle of his forehead. She whipped her head around in time to see a small, black object float up to her face when-

Peu

Brown fell like a sack of potatoes. A similar hole right in between her eyes. The stallion looked on with an amused smile.

*Now that is the definition of awesome.*

~Killing ponies with a futuristic weapon? Seems more like overkill to me.~ Ruby snarked.

*Whatever, you know why I’m doing this.* I reply while tucking the silence pistol back under my duster. I then flawlessly enter the building. The… business, taking place comes to an assgrinding hault, literally for the entertainers, and all attention is directed at me. Ponies as far as the eye can see. Every single one of their eyes fall on me.

After what felt like an eternity one pony decided I should leave. He got a bullet to the head before he could even get up. And after that the ponies were stunned silent. I made a look around while holding my silenced pistol billowed smoke out the barrel. I nodded triumphantly and made my way to the back area. The bouncer that guarded the door I entered last time I was here, along with every other pony, gave a wide berth after my ever-so-graceful display of power. Just as the door closes behind me, ponies fill the fucking hall ahead of me. Most of them having confused faces. I took this opportunity to gun down as many as I could before I began to run low on ammo for the pistol. By that time I made a surprising amount of clearance through the long hall.

God damn I love magic.

“Get him!” One of the remaining ponies shouted. The rest of them shook themselves from the stupor and rushed me. Since they decided to try and overwhelm me with numbers. I teleported to the other side of the hall. I then pull out my old shotgun, and shoot, after I out a sound-canceling bubble around it.

The remaining ponies were dealt with swiftly. It as too fucking easy.

Way too easy. Oooooh… they planned this… fuck me…

Thwip

FUCK ME!

“Ugh…”

“Corey?”

“Huh? What? Brittany?”

“Yeah it’s me. Where are we? Why can’t I see!?”

“Quiet!” A curt voice cut in. Both Anthros snapped their jaws shut. But that didn't stop them from thinking a mile a minute.

Where are we?

How did we end up here?

Who is that guy talking?

And why were they blindfolded?

“Good. You two know how to listen.” The voice continued. “Now, I’m sure you’re wondering a lot of things right now.” The voice snickered. A guy voice, Corey decided. “I would normally tell you what’s going on. But under these circumstances I frankly don’t give a buck.” And whoever’s talking is clearly a pony he deduced. “All that you need to know is either your ‘friend’ comes willingly and you get to leave or he never shows up and we ‘dispose’ of you’.” The way the pony said those very words sent chills down Corey’s and his girlfriend's spines. The tone, Corey felt, implied he and Brittany would die if his ‘friend’ didn’t show up.

But who did the pony talk about? It couldn’t be one of his new pony friends. He hasn’t known them long enough. But that could only mean…

Ember? What would this pony want with Ember?

Ember was known to at least finish fights when him and Corey were in high school, the dog Anthro though.

*Maybe this pony started something with him?* He thought. *But why would this pony want to mess with the guy? Ember can fucking kill anyone is he felt like.*

A particularly cold shiver washed over his body.

*Ugh… to think I he nearly killed me that easily…* It was true to Corey. The man nearly died at the hands of a very pissed off Ember.

*If this pony thinks Ember will come here peacefully…*

Pew

*Oh fuck! That must be him!*

BOOM

“Is that a fucking shotgun!?”

FWOOSH