Daisy was caught off-guard by the surprise attack, petrified by the fright. She knew who they were, and why they were doing this suddenly. It was a test to see if she still qualified. She glanced to her side as she caught a unicorn lunging at her. She ducked under him, bringing herself up at his ribs. He crashed into a unicorn at her left as he flew past her. Daisy then focused on a pony that was within feet of her, hearing the blade skid across her mane as she moved out of the way. Her left tie fell to the ground and her mane came loose. "How dare you?" She growled, lunging at him, quickly striking at their underarms to disable them. She then kicked their jaw to force them to drop the sword. She dodged to her side as another blade came down. She crashed into a pony on her right and instantly swung around their side, kicking their front legs in the back of their knees, bringing the pony forward. A hooded pony, obviously blind, used the kneeling pony as a trampoline and lit behind Daisy. She quickly found herself surrounded and knew that there were only a few options.
The blind pony struck out at her with hoofblades extending out of the black robe. Daisy barely dodged both blades numerous times until saw a chance to strike back and took it. She then dove at the pony, knocking her into the air, then she flew up and grabbed her to throw her towards the other two, who were about to take flight. She flung the blind pony towards them, but was surprised when they caught her and flung her back. She felt the hoofs of the pony connect with her chest, sending her reeling backwards, then plummeting to the ground. She lit with a loud thud as she hit a soft spot on the ground. "Ow… Hm. I guess I should have tried harder. Well, then try this." She said, dashing forward, then jumping with a front flip over a pony with a sword, landed behind them, took out their hind legs, and kicked towards their throat as she spun around them. She stopped only centimeters from it, then said, "You're out." Before she spun around and leaped over them again. She saw that the two unicorns had already gotten up and saw that they were using bows. She heard the snap of the bow's string when the arrow was released. She barely backed up in time to see it skid past her nose, leaving a medium-depth cut along her snout. She rubbed at it quickly as she felt the sting. She grunted and she dodged forward and rolled between two ponies, taking out the left one as she came up with a kick to the jaw, taking their sword from them almost at the same time. She brought the blade up to meet with the other one's. She slid the blades across each other and cut his lip. He lurched back, dropping the sword. She took her chance and was upon him before he could blink. She placed the blade at his neck and said the same thing. She then counted them. "Two down, four to go." She said to herself.
Shadow Nexus watched Daisy. She looked like she was holding back a little. She could do better. He watched her as she sparked his interest. "Maybe she is qualified?"
"Perhaps more so than we thought… Or perhaps less. It is hard to tell at this moment. She has already taken two of the six out… Hmm. Still, let's watch to find out." Fallen said, stepping up next to him.
Daisy felt another arrow graze her shoulder as she ran at the other pony on the ground, placing the blade at the seam on her cranium. "That makes three." She said to her, hearing a heavy sigh. Daisy quickly kicked up the sword that the other mare set down, stopping an arrow that had been released. She just now realized that they were only made with plastic tips. It wouldn't pierce her body, but it cut her because of the edge. "Hmm…" She muttered. She then flew up, flying in random patterns, getting closer to the two ponies with the bows. She dropped between them, then waited as they both were about to fire, flying up in time to dodge the arrows as the other two get each other. They were now out. That left one more.
"You are doing really well, apprentice. It's nice to know that we still have some qualifying ponies. Now, let's fight." The blind pony said.
"Thank you, Alchemy. It's nice to know that we still have some skilled assassins left too." Daisy said, smiling at the compliment. She then prepared herself for the final pony of the battle.
"Let's make this a little more interesting." Shadow said, stepping between the two. "Let's make it so that you two fight… To the death." He smirked, his terrifying smile sending shiver up Daisy's spine.
"wait, what?" The blind pony asked, recoiling in surprise.
"Exactly what I said. Now, begin." Shadow said, tossing Daisy his sword.
Sapphire felt herself pulled from the sleep that she was having. She felt like she was at her room at first, the sun shining on her. She suddenly remembered where she was and jolted upwards, knocking heads with Blitz. "ow…" She murmured.
"Nnn…" Blitz said, waking up at the same time.
Sapphire now realized that Blitz was lying on top of her. "What are you doing?" She asked, slightly scared and confused. She gave her a questioning glance as well.
"I was keeping you warm. You were shivering and you seemed cold. It got pretty cold last night too… Also, nopony has come…" Blitz said, flexing one wing.
"What? Why not?" Sapphire asked. She then rolled so their faces met. Their stomachs touched and Sapphire felt her heart thud in her chest. She realized her mistake.
Blitz glanced down at Sapphire when she rolled, a smirk crossing her lips. "Well then. At such dire times, you still are such a flirt." She said.
Sapphire felt her cheeks go red. "I-I wasn't flirting! I was just making it so that we could talk face-to-face. It was kinda weird with you on my side… Besides, it was kind of hard to breath…" Sapphire tried to save herself further.
"Sure. You could have just said something if you wanted me to move." Blitz's smirk grew wider. Her eyes seemed to be holding something back.
Sapphire felt herself grow hot and yet she stayed where she was. "I… I'm sorry… I just… Never mind…" Sapphire said, her bright blush showing as her face turned away from Blitz.
"Don't hide from me. I haven't done anything wrong." Blitz said. She moved her hoof and placed it at Sapphire's cheek, bringing her face to meet hers. Their eyes stared into each other's and she felt a connection between them. It was a familiar connection that she had felt before, but not quite so much like this.
Sapphire felt herself paralyzed by Blitz's deep blue eyes. She mouthed the words "You have such beautiful eyes…" but nothing came out. She found herself trapped by Blitz's one wing. She was curious as to what happened to the other one, then remembering the night before.
Blitz felt her own wing wrap down Sapphire's side. She couldn't stop herself as she impulsively brought their lips together. The warmth and softness of the other mare's lips felt great on her own.
Sapphire was surprised by the kiss, but felt herself kissing her back and putting her hoof over Blitz's neck. The kiss lasted about another ten seconds and she found herself lovingly hugging Blitz. "Wow…" She muttered.
"hehe… yeah." Blitz said. She hadn't realized her own feelings towards Sapphire until now. She knew she could trust her, she could believe her words and know she was safe with her. She felt completely comfortable and felt like nothing could ruin it until the sharp pain in her wing had been brought back, along with the wound on her back where she had been slightly impaled.
"Are you okay?" Sapphire asked, concern in her eyes as she saw Blitz's face twist in pain.
"Yes… I'm fine… Just my wing." She replied.
"No… Here.. Let's use something…" She said. She rummaged around for her saddlebag, but found it not there. "Hmm… Let me see… Here. Get up and I will be right back." She said.
Blitz followed instructions and nodded. She then stepped to the side to make sure that she had room to get up.
Sapphire quickly got up and limped towards the cave entrance. She found her Saddlebags right outside, but something was wrong. She rummaged through it, finding everything there. She then found something that had been placed inside. It was a tracker of some sort. It also held a message saying, "We know who and where you are. We will always be watching. Soon we will come to get you. Be ready." She felt herself shiver in fear and concern. She looked back to Blitz and sighed. She looked to where the train had crashed, sighing and watched as the top half of the pony finally fell. She retched and turned her head in time to throw up the acid inside her stomach. She hadn't had any food left since she had digested it the night before. It burned her throat as it came up and she was happy that it was finally over. She took deep breaths and finally turned to her bags after wiping her mouth. She pulled out her book and noticed that Blitz was behind her. "How long have you been there?" She asked.
"Long enough to watch you puke. It wasn't a pretty sight, but I was also reading the note…" She said. "I think we should tell somepony… Maybe Celestia…" Blitz put a hoof on Sapphire's back.
"Maybe…" Sapphire replied, taking her book and reading something. She then noticed that she had grabbed her evil book, not her good book.
"What are you doing with that thing? I thought you weren't going to use it anymore." Blitz said. She looked at Sapphire worriedly.
"I'm not… I just grabbed the wrong one…" Sapphire said. She then grabbed the light book and opened it.
"You are starting to impulsively grab for that book… I am starting to become worried for you…" Ruby's voice echoed throughout Sapphire's mind.
Sapphire sighed, knowing that it was true. It was really taking her mind… then next her body and soul… "So I am going to try to heal your wing… Of course, it will only speed it up…" Sapphire said.
"Alright, let's do this." Blitz said, standing sideways for Sapphire.
"Hold still and it will be quick." Sapphire said. She then started to chant a phrase from her good book and her magic glowed a light blue as it readied for Blitz's wing. After a few more words, it darted towards Blitz's wing, wrapping it in itself. The magic infused with her bone and it and sped up the healing process in her cells.
"Thank you." Blitz said, her wing feeling numb. At least she couldn't feel it. She lifted her other wing and set it down on Sapphire's side as she moved around to her. She pulled Sapphire closer and smiled.
"You're welcome." Sapphire said, her blush obvious again. She wanted another kiss, but she knew that they had to leave. "It's about time to head back to Ponyville… Maybe Applejack will let us stay there? Either way, let's go." She said, putting Blitz's wing back on her own body.
Blitz's wing folded on her side and she smiled. "Sounds good to me." She said. "Lead the way." She added. She then followed Sapphire out of the cave and into the sunlight outside.
Daisy caught the blade, ready to parry any attacks. "I'm sorry Daisy, but if he wishes it, it must be. Heh, I guess that this is a true test of your skill. Killing one of the ranked assassins would surely get you their position. Don't think I'm going to go easy on you, friend. I am loyal to our master, and will be to my end. Now, let's see who really is better for real." She said as she dashed forward.
"Yes, Starseer." Daisy said, lunging forward to meet her blades. They clanged loudly as they ricocheted off of each other. She made a move to confuse Starseer, but Starseer had parried her attack and slashed at her, cutting along her right shoulder. Daisy grunted against the pain and quickly stepped back. She barely regained her pose as the attacks continued. She moved out of the way of a few in time to avoid them, a few barely grazing her skin. She had yet to connect a single strike against Starseer. "I guess this is why you are ranked, and I am not. I can see that the odds are not in my favor." She said, dashing forward and swinging her sword as she tackled her.
Starseer had stopped the sword with her hoofblade and had made an attempt for a counter, but she was on the ground before she had the chance to realize it. She had lost her grip on her left hoofblade as it slipped off and slid next to Shadow Nexus, who had kicked it back towards Fallen. She had caught the blade and put it in her pack.
Daisy noticed now the ponies had started to gather to watch the death fight. Only the ones that had been fighting her off course. She had been distracted only a second, but it was a second too long. She had been pushed off, and reared backwards. She watched as the blade came up, and knew she only had one choice. She placed her hoof between the blade and her throat before it made contact, piercing just above her hoof. She yelped in pain and felt the blood flow as she rolled backwards. She jumped up and flapped her wings, unable to keep walking. She wasn't sure what type of pony Starseer was. She quickly learned that she wasn't going to get away easily.
Starseer had smirked as the blade stabbed through her hoof. She felt it rip out and the blood splatter her cloak. She heard Daisy's wings beat upwards. "hehe." She snickered, pushing up her cloak, revealing her wings. They were strong and they were lighter than cyan. Almost an ice-white. She blasted her wings downward, forcing herself up towards Daisy. Now that the odds were even and fair, she would have to do a little better.
Daisy watched Starseer fly towards herself, preparing for another spurt of fighting. She brought her blade down as Starseer came close.
Starseer dodged to the side as the blade came down on her. She brought her own blade along Daisy's side. She felt it tear through the skin. She heard the terrible sound and the blood that followed. "I'm sorry that I have to do this, daisy. It hurts me more than it hurts you… Well, mentally and emotionally." She said, trying to lift the mood a little.
"I guess. But I won't give in yet." Daisy said, flying forward and putting her hoof in the way of the blade again, but this time, missing the blade and catching the hoof. The blade stopped an inch away from her face and she brought her sword up this time, cutting one wing off. It fell to the ground in a light, yet wet thump. She noticed that Starseer had cried out and was now flying very lopsided. She decided to strike again. This time, removing her front leg. "I can't finish this if you keep moving." She said, aiming for her head. She was down one wing and the leg that had lost the other hoofblade. Now it was time to finish this. She could see that blood was running from her friend's body. The agony in her blind eyes. She had to make this quick. She swung again. Another miss.
Starseer felt her wing come off, her go lopsided, then her leg severed by the blade. She felt her blood run rapidly and she knew that Daisy had won. It was over for her. She attempted a final attack, but fell short and was caught by Daisy's sword, coming down on her right shoulder blade, cutting halfway. Her leg hung pointlessly on her body. She gave up and she stopped flapping her wing, falling to the ground with a loud crash. She had the wind knocked out of her and she heard Daisy come in behind her. The blood that soaked the ground was of both of theirs, but the life that would be taken would be hers. "I forgive you, Daisy. I am actually proud of you. You finally beat me for real." She said.
"Even in death, you are such an optimist." Daisy chuckled, tears stinging her eyes.
"Don't cry, be happy that you won. I will get you next time though. Maybe the next time we meet? I promise." Starseer smiled, making Daisy smile as well. "Although, you can…" She started to cough badly. "You can work on your aim a little…" She joked, her head becoming limp. "Just kill me now and end this pain." Her body had been cut up and her wing was gone, one leg gone, and a half of another one. The pain throbbed and stung throughout her body.
"Yes, Ma'am." Daisy said, raising her sword.
"Don't call me ma'am anymore." Starseer said. "Just Starseer." She finished, a smile on her face.
"Yes, Starseer. As you wish." Daisy said, readying the blade. "How's this for aim?" She asked as a joke, driving the blade downwards into her skull, breaking it in two, revealing the blood and the pinkish-red organ within. She turned to her right and started to hurl, having killed her friend like this… It was just so brutal. Sometimes she disagreed with Shadow, and this was definitely one of those times. "There…" She said, listening to the hoofs clapping. She wanted to yell out, "No! This should not be applauded," but she kept her mouth shut. She knew that she would have to live with it now. With her friend's blood on her hoofs. She limped towards Shadow, then felt herself become dizzy and her world spun, then turned black as she fell to her side. She had blacked out before she hit the ground.