We ran as fast as we could to the hospital, the ponies we all passed by recoiled in shock of the wounded and bleeding Rainbow Dash. Her wings had large red slashes through them and her body was also deeply cut. With her on my back I could feel her blood starting to stain my robe and my fur.

Rainbow started to mumble on my back just as we had gotten sight of the hospital.

“Rainbow stay with us! We’re almost there!” I tried to keep her unconscious but all she let out was a small weak, “Thank you…”

Rarity and Fluttershy held the doors open as I rushed in the hospital towards the receptionist.

“Hello how may I… AAH!” she screamed at the sight of Rainbow Dash and me covered in her blood.

“Please you’ve got to help her…” I said exhaustingly with Rainbow on my back.

“MEDIC!” she yelled down the hall and a moment later a stretcher came to pick up Rainbow.

I placed her in the linen stretcher and watched her leave as the medical personal took her to the operating room.

Fluttershy and Rarity took a seat in the waiting room chairs while I just stood in the middle of the waiting room thinking about WingBlade’s attack.

It’s my fault… Rainbow was hurt because she was an assassin… because I was arrogant

I’m the reason WingBlade is here…

“Um excuse me sir? But can you please sit down?” the receptionist said to me.

I ignored her; I was too deep into my thoughts to notice or even care.

The hospital doors swung open and there came in Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, Dr. Mareio and Ace.

“Shadow what happened? All we heard was a rainbow coloured pony was seen being carried off by a shadowy figure.” Twilight asked me.

“Why are you covered in red stuff?” Pinkie said to me refereeing to the blood.

I ignored their questions and shut my eyes tight from the guilt.

If she attacked Rainbow then she knows about us, about the rest of my friends.
Ponyville too…

Dear Celestia… if she tells Balthazar…

It’ll be my fault again, Ponitaly, Flora, Rainbow, the rest of the assassins, Ponyville.

Heck, because Balthazar has the Apple I found, Equestria is also doomed…

“Shadow?” Applejack attempted to put a hoof on my shoulder.

*CRACK*

I sent a bone-shattering punch to the white-bricked hospital wall and it got a medium sized hole.

“IT’S ALL MY FUCKING FAULT!” I cursed loudly; tears began to drip from my hood.

Everypony stood silent until I regained myself I turned to Applejack and said quietly, “WingBlade is here… protect Rainbow…”

I headed towards the door but I was stopped by Dr. Mareio, and he said softly, “Don’t worry Shadow, I’ll a help her…”

I threw his hoof off my shoulder and charged though the glass door not bothering to open it. As soon as I was in the rays of the sun I ran straight for the hideout.

------HOSPITAL POINT OF VIEW----------------------

“What was that all about?” Twilight asked the other ponies who were just as stunned at Shadow’s outburst.

“I don’t know really, but Shadow said to protect Rainbow from WingBlade,” Appljack told her.

“Wait… WingBlade? She’s here?” Twilight asked with interest.

“Yes darling, at least that’s what Fluttershy told us who did that awful thing to Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said and Fluttershy gulped.

“It was so scary… while I was getting some plants with Rainbow to make some potions… somepony swooped down and tried to attack me…. Instead Rainbow shielded me and now she’s in the hospital…” Fluttershy explained.

“So I’m guessing the blood on Shadow was Rainbow Dash’s,” Applejack inquired and Fluttershy nodded her head.

“Still that doesn’t really explain why Shadow went all enraged like that,” Twilight pondered with her friends.

Mareio came over to them and said, “Sit down. I’ll a explain.” He then whispered in Ace’s ear and Ace immediately took off and left the hospital.

As soon as everypony was seated Mareio explained the story of Shadow, “You see… it was a while ago when Shadow’s parents and brother died. They truly an example of a happy Ponitalian family.”

“What was the cause of death?” Twilight asked.

“Balthazar…”

----Shadow-mark’s POV----------

I climbed to the top of the hideout to where I could get a clear view of all of Ponyville.

I know that WingBlade would never skip out on a job as big as this.
If I can’t find her then it’s all over…

I scanned the city around me with no luck from my observation skills.

Damn it! Where are you!?

*SHHHHHH*

I heard the movement of wind behind me and I immediately turned around and put my hooves out in front of me. WingBlade was diving towards me with her wings unsheathed, I blocked her wings with my hooves but the force of her impact sent us over the roof.

“Assassin, I have found you…” she said with a snake-like tongue as she grabbed me with her hoofs.

We started falling towards the ground and I could only do one thing to save my life.

*KER-HOOF*

--------Hospital POV------------

“So Balthazar is why Shadow is so obsessed with revenge…” Rarity commented after hearing Mareio’s story.

Mareio continued, “Because Shadow found the Apple he’s believes that the attack on the Assassin Headquarters was’a his fault. Continuing onwards with Ponitaly and his wife…”

“WIFE!?” everyone said in shock.

Mareio nodded sadly.

“Her name was Flora…. such an early marriage to be ruined by such a horrible TEMPLAR!” Mareio shouted in rage.

“So he believes that all of that was his fault… wow I never thought just how much he was suffering…” Pinkie said with a frown.

“And now Shadow thinks WingBlade would turn Ponyville into Ponitaly!” Rarity anxiously said.

“I get it, so when Rainbow was hurt he blamed himself because he made us Assassins…” Twilight said solemnly.

“It’s just awful,” Fluttershy said very sadly.

“IT’S SO SAD, WAAH!” Pinkie shouted with tears coming from her eyes as she took out a tissue.

“Well what’re we waiting for? Let’s go help him!” Applejack said as he got out from her chair.

“NO!” Mareio shouted putting Applejack back in her seat.

“Shadow will come back in one hour he’s just scouting. Now all off you don’t go anywhere I’MA HELP RAINBOW DASH!” Mareio shouted as he went towards the operating doors.

The receptionist stopped Mareio at the operating doors, “Sorry sir but only doctors are allowed…”

*SLAM*

“I’MA DOCTOR! DOCTOR MAREIO, THE MUSHROOM DOCTOR!” he shouted as he swung the operating rooms doors open.

“That was… odd?” Twilight remarked.

“I just hope Shadow is alright…” Fluttershy quietly said.

“Don’t worry Mareio said things will be fine,” Applejack reassured her.

-------Shadow’s POV---------

THINGS ARE DEFINITELY NOT FINE!

We were still falling from the plunge off the clock tower and WingBlade had me positioned under her so I couldn’t see the ground.

And probabley to get crushed…

“First I’m going to kill you then I’m going to tell Balthazar all about your “friends” and this pathetic town,” she said nastily.

“Screw that!” I raised my hoof and punched her in the face.

She’s not a lady… she’s a monster!

She just shrugged it off and tried to bring her wing towards my neck.

“Game over kid….”

*SCREE*

“For you…” I said smugly.

*HEAD-SMASH*

She recoiled in pain and released me, I immediately opened my wings and glided towards the hospital to get
back-up.

“WHAT IS THIS, A BIRD!?” she confusingly shouted.

3…2…1…

*SWACK*

“AAH MY EYES! IT’S PECKING MY EYES!”

I looked back and saw WingBlade throw Ace away from her as she flew at an astonishing speed towards Ponyville and ignored me.

I was a few metres gliding from outside the hospital when I saw the entrance door. However there wasn’t any intention to use it. I had another entry in mind…

*CRASH*

I flew through the hospital window shattering the glass all around me and slid down the floor to where I saw my friends sitting in the waiting room.

“Shadow?” Twilight asked.

“No time! WingBlade is here and she flew into Ponyville!” I quickly explained and everypony franticly stood up from their chairs.

“Applejack and Pinkie I want you two to stay here and guard Rainbow in case WingBlade will come back to finish her. The rest of you follow me we need to search Ponyville,” I ordered them as me, Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy left the hospital while Applejack and Pinkie guarded the hospital.

We walked into a shadowy alleyway to prevent WingBlade from seeing us all together and blow our cover.

Besides I’m sure if she knew Rainbow Dash was an Assassin then she knows we all are, but she won’t be expecting all of us at the same time…

I huddled my group together with my hooves, “Ok team, we need to find WingBlade who is still somewhere in Ponyville hunting for us. What we need is stealth and patience if we’ll ever catch her.”

“Capture her?” Rarity asked me.

I nodded, “At least that’s what I would like to happen because since she’s Dave’s personal bodyguard…”

“Then she would lead us straight to Dave!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Exactly. Now, we need to divide Ponyville up so you and Rarity can search for her with your magic. As Wingblade is highly dangerous I figure it was best to split up for 2 ponies per group.”

“Oh… Shadow?” Fluttershy asked me, I nodded for her to continue.

“How can we get her if we don’t have anything to defend ourselves? I don’t want to be…cut by those… scary… metal… razor-sharp wings…” Fluttershy frightfully said noticing that they didn’t have any hidden blades or their robes.

“Like I said, we need to capture her. I know that magic can be used to restrain ponies and I also know that you can hear any odd noises like WingBlade’s wind streak. So I’ll protect Twilight and do the search in the market district while you stay with Rarity and search in the housing areas.”

With that Fluttershy and Rarity departed from the alley while we went around to the other side.

--------An hour in-----------------

Twilight was on the ground scanning the markets and stores using a book as a cover while I followed her up on the rooftops and used any shadows to hide me from the sun’s glaring view.

I kept sneaking around the rooftops and the alleyways while Twilight still scanned everything she could see.

A few more minutes and we were done searching the market district. I jumped down from a small balcony and landed beside her.

“Did you get anything?” I asked her.

“No…” she shook her head disappointingly.

“That’s a shame… maybe Rarity and Flutt--,”

*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

The scream came from the housing area and it was followed by many more screams.

“Twilight!” I shouted to her.

She nodded and her horn lit up, a second later we appeared next to Rarity and Fluttershy in a poof of purple smoke.

“Fluttershy Rarity, what happened!?” I urged them to tell me but then I saw the sight lying next to them, Twilight wrenched back in fear.

Two ponies were slaughtered in the middle of the street. They had cuts and slash marks going all over them, dark thick blood fell from the open wounds and stained the ground around them.
I looked closer and I saw that these two ponies were the Canterlot unicorns I robbed from before. I couldn’t tell they were unicorns because their horns were completely cut off from the rest of their body.

“Damn it WingBlade…” I muttered, disgusted by what she had done.

“Why would anypony do something as horrible as this?” Rarity exclaimed.

“I…I don’t…” Twilight began to shudder and Fluttershy comforted her.

“We’ll get her back, I promise.” Fluttershy coldly said.

WHOA! When did Fluttershy become such a badass!?
Still this does look like WingBlade’s work; even it is a touch small from her usual…

I went over to the dead bodies and closed their eyes, “Requistcat in pace.”

My thoughts were interrupted as something punched me in the back of my skull. I recoiled in pain but turned to see the attacker standing behind us.

“My my… there are more of you? Maybe I should tell Balthazar your all here… or better yet I’ll cut all your delicate little bodies for fun and leave your bodies to fill the streets with your own blood,” WingBlade said with an evil smile as she pulled out her metal wings.

“Twilight… *cough*… Rarity…” I choked on the pain.

They instantly shot out entrapping spells towards WingBlade who merely yawned and reflected the magic back to Twilight and Rarity with her shining metal wings.
Purple and light blue bubbles formed around Twilight and Rarity trapping themselves inside.

“WHAT!?” everyone shouted in surprise.

“With wings as beautiful and pristine as mine, I take very good care of them. And they take good care of me,” she smiled deviously as she rushed towards Fluttershy with her wings unsheathed.

“NO!” I shouted as I did a large leap towards Fluttershy and pushed her out of harm’s way.

“ARG!” I shouted in pain.

I looked to my shoulder and saw that my outfit had a tear and blood was coming out from a gash in my fur. WingBlade was laughing and in a slight anger pushed me up from the ground and I took out my hidden blades protecting Fluttershy.

“Oh don’t think there will be a nice ending for you whelp! I’ll cut you so much that by the time I’m finished you’ll be begging me to kill you.” she licked my blood off from her metal wing.

I stood my ground and got my hidden blades ready for whatever came next.

“CHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“What the…*POW*” WingBlade started to say but was then hit by a rainbow mane square in the chest.

“Rainbow Dash!?” we all shouted in surprise.

She pointed over to WingBlade who was trying to right herself up but an orange hoof kicked her and she tumbled down the street.

“Howdy everypony!” Applejack greeted us.

“Wow you all came here… wait, where’s Pinkie Pie?” I asked.

“HERE I AM!” a garbage can next to me opened up and Pinkie was inside it startling me.

We all grouped up together and I asked the bandaged Rainbow Dash, “How did you get out of the hospital so quickly.”

“Dr. Mareio…” she began telling the story.

-------Rainbow’s POV---------------

Rainbow was brought into the hospital’s operating room where the doctors immediately began the surgery on her slash marks.

“Scapel…” a doctor asked

“Scapel.” a doctor gave him the tool.

*SLAM* the doors swung wide open and there stood a weird red pony with a mustache and a white doctor’s coat, the receptionist was behind him trying to get him to leave.

“I’MA DOCTOR! DOCTOR MAREIO, THE MUSHROOM DOCTOR!” the strange doctor pony shouted as he came across the room to the unconscious Rainbow Dash.

“Sir I don’t know who you are, but I need to ask you to leave, we need to save this pony’s life!” the operating doctor said.

“YOUR’A NOT DOING IT RIGHT!” Mareio shouted with a cheerful attitude.

He shoved the doctor out of the way and examined Rainbow Dash.

“MAMMA MIA! This looks like a time for LIFE SHROOM!” he shouted in triumph as he took out a mushroom with a heart design imbedded on it.

“What is he gonna…?” the doctor started but didn’t finish as Dr. Mareio lodged the mushroom down Rainbow’s throat.

“AAH, ARE YOU MAD!?” the doctor shouted at Mareio but he raised a hoof to the air.

*SLAP*

“LEARN YOUR A FREAKIN PLACE!,” Mareio said with less cheer in his voice to the doctor after bitch-slapping him.

Rainbow swallowed the mushroom and a moment later she woke up gasping for air.

“WHAT DID YOU PUT IN THAT, BARF!?"

"SUCCESS!" Mareio shouted.

The doctors were amazed by Mareio’s medical breakthrough and began bandaging Rainbow Dash’s wounds which had also receded in blood and healed a bit.

*CRASH*

“Was that a window?” a doctor asked wrapping a bandage over Dash's wing.

“Nope,” Mareio said with a dumbfounded look on his face.

-----------Later-------------

While Mareio was teaching the doctors his superior vast intellect of pony and mushroom biology and Rainbow Dash was recovering a loud scream was heard throughout Ponyville.

“FLUTTERSHY!” she shouted as she got out of bed and raced out the hospital, joined by Applejack and Pinkie.

---------Shadow’s POV----------------------------

“And then I tackled her and here we are!” Rainbow finished.

“I liked the part with the mushroom!” Pinkie commented.

“IF YOU’RE DONE TALKING CAN YOU HELP US OUT!?”

We turned around and almost forgot Twilight and Rarity were still stuck in the magic bubbles.

Wait a moment… where is…

“YOU FOOLS!” WingBlade’s voice boomed above us.

We all looked up and Rainbow shouted, “I’ll get her!” as she jumped into the air then fell forgetting her wings were bandaged.

“You whelps are beginning to be a nuisance to me. Now I no longer want to toy with you, that’s most of what that idiot Dave’s been doing. I’ll head back to Balthazar and his mighty army will destroy this pathetic town and you along with it!” she shouted just before flapping her metal wings and shooting herself across the noon sky until we couldn’t see her past the horizon.

“DAMN IT!” I punched my hoof to the ground. “NOW WE’LL NEVER FIND HER!”

“She’s going to Manehatten.” Pinkie simply said.

"..."

“What… how…?” I asked her how she knew.

“Pinkie Sense!” she cheerfully said, everyone face hoofed and I was left confused.

Pinkie Sense? Is it like how the Observer sensed all those stuff before it happened?
What did he say… “DON'T ASK QUESTIONS, IT’S TRUE!”

“Alright then Pinkie, let’s get our stuff and you can lead the way.”

We'll find you WingBlade and we'll stop you.

By any means nessesary...