The Assassin's Song

by Productive faffer

The life of an assassin: questions, the constant threat of death and the fact that you work until your dying breath. However, one refuses to be intimidated by death, refuses to live by the rule of 'killer 'till killed' and above all, he refuses to be denied his answers. His question is as follows: who, or what, is behind his final contract? And just where will it lead him?

14. Politics, tailors and learning to fight

Chapter fourteen: Politics, tailors and learning how to fight

I'm falling…

I don't know how…

I don't know why…

But what I do know…

Is that I'm bucking falling…

All's there is the feeling of weightlessness…

I can hear the air whistle past…

But I cannot feel it…

An odd sensation…

I suddenly hear the sound of battle…

Clamour, battle cries, the sound of metal on metal…

War…

I find myself in the middle of it…

All around me, there are ponies, griffons, dragons…

All fall to my blades…

I'm wearing the armour of the Illuminating night uprising…

Midnight black leather made from griffon hide…

Golden armour plating on my chest and body…

A black hood on my head…

On my back two black scabbards rest, held down by leather…

The weapons they held whistle overhead…

A pair of twin swords…

Steel blades, sharpened to a razor point…

The weapons are double edged…

Both sides are coated in blood…

The weapons, held in my magical grip...

Rend flesh from bone…

Fur from hide…

Feather from wing…

Scale from back…

The fire of the dragons set the field of battle ablaze…

I hear steps behind me…

I spin to attack…

As I do, the scene changes…

Halfway round I find myself off the field…

The long grassy meadow that rolled off into the distance…

Is replaced by the stone and rock of the mountains…

I am alone…

Accompanied only by the clouds of the night sky…

I the distance, I see Luna…

Soaring above the clouds…

With her, a large group of foals follow her…

Her mythical, 'children of the night'…

A cloud rolls over me, obscuring my vision…

When it rolls away, the times have changed…

Before Luna's time, or even Celestia's…

The time of Starswirl the Bearded…

How do I know…

He stands before me, on the same mountain as before…

He looks down at me, defiance in his eyes and power oozing from him…

I remember his curse…

His payment to his own shadow magic…

He became powerful, more so than any before or after…

And he thirsted for more…

His life was devoted to study, to the pursuit of knowledge…

And power…

This was his downfall and ultimately…

His demise…

The scene, once more, changes…

Changes dramatically…

No longer am I stood upon a great mountain…

No longer am I surrounded by clouds…

Or the night sky…

Instead I am sat upon a cushion…

Inside the Canterlot Palace…

Illumination and Nocturnal are nowhere to be seen…

Likely within the palace of Everfree, conducting the war…

I watch Celestia and Luna, spending some time together…

As foals should…

I look on fondly, Luna inside Celestia's pink tail, an adorable smile on her face as she bursts

through her tail…

The elder sibling looks back at her younger sister, laughing with her…

As sisters should…

Off to the side, there unmade bed sits…

Their favourite stuffed toys next to the pillows…

Luna's star covered bear 'ursa-teddy'…

Celestia's fire coloured bird, her play phoenix…

Through the door, to the right of us, another alicorn enters…

Stark white fur and rose red mane and tail…

Faust…

She has them both go to bed, they complain but comply…

They get into bed and fall asleep instantly…

Faust looks over them, as much love in her gaze as mine…

I look out of the window, the balcony looking over Canterlot…

The moon goes down and the sun rises, faster than natural…

I hear a call in the sky, the call of a great bird…

A phoenix…

Philomena…

She watches me with narrowed, disapproving eyes…

I know this day…

It's the day I left Celestia, but a week after the end of the wars against Discord…

"I'm sorry Philomena, but you know as well as I, I cannot stay"…

She looks down, saddened, but makes no argument…

I put my hoof to her beak, lifting her gaze to mine…

"Look after her, please. I am no longer your master, she needs you more than I do"…

She makes her understanding known by nuzzling me…

With a heavy heart, I do the same…

I turn to the balcony, sparing a parting glance at Celestia's sleeping form, before leaping off…

I thunder down the road of Canterlot, little more than a dirt track…

My hooves pounding against the road, a constant beat in my ears…

A knocking, knocking in my ears…

Knocking…

Knocking…

---

A constant banging on the door roused the assassin from his slumber. He blinked his eyes a few times, settling his thoughts. That dream had been different than most of his other dreams, normally he was held to a single place, a single scene from his past. Passing through so many was a new experience for him. A strange experience. The pounding on his door continued downstairs, pulling him from his stupor.

With a growl he throws the covers off of him, which he'd found in an airing cupboard, and made his way down to the door. He was weirdly groggy and felt drained; his mane was unkempt, well more so than usual, and he could feel the sand and grit in the corner of his eye. He threw his head to the side a few times to clear his head, and then resorted to slamming it on the wall. It proved to be surprisingly effective. He continued to the front door, his brain still feeling like mush, he reached forwards, putting his hoof on the doorknob and opening it to reveal the shapely figure of Feather Heart. He went to put a smirk on his face but one look at her worried expression told him this was no time for fooling around. Something was wrong.

"We may have a problem" was her greeting. He let his own expression turn darker at that; when the mayor's secretary appeared, telling you that there may be a problem, you knew the conversation wasn't going to end with a smile on your face.

"Come in" he said, motioning his head inside his new home. She took the invite, trotting in and watching him take a quick look outside the door, as if he were checking for something, an old habit from his days in Vietmane. He guided her into his living room, gesturing at her to sit on his sofa. "So, we have a problem?" Sat on her haunches on his couch, she looked at the floor.

"Uhhh, somepony may know about what we got up to yesterday." The assassin grimaced; somepony knowing about that would be bad for him, Mayor and Feather alike. He didn't get that; Mayor Mare was a mare, all mares got heat and all mares had needs, it was natural. Where was the problem in a mayor relieving herself? He wasn't all too bothered about his own situation; he already had a well established reputation as an assassin, so one incident involving a mare, himself and the mare in the picture being in season, wouldn't be much of a problem. Still, if this got out, it could explode into a scandal or something equally as undesirable; the media would have a field-day with this.

"Great" he groaned, voice dripping with sarcasm "who is it that has us by the tail then?" Feather shrugged.

"We don't know for sure, but Mayor has an idea. And her suspicions." The assassin nodded.

"That's actually why I'm here, Miss Mayor didn't know who else to go to. You were the only one we could really trust enough to tell about this. She wants to see you." Blood Moon nodded.

"Alright, come on." He trotted right up to her and put his hoof on her before his horn flashed and they found themselves outside Mayor Mare's office, right next to Feather's desk. The mare besides him staggered around, looking like a camera flash had just gone off in her face.

"Sorry about that" he says absentmindedly "should have warned you." It was painfully obvious he didn't care. Pushing through the door, he saw Mayor Mare sat behind her desk, presumably new. It was obvious from the way she looked she was…stressed from the predicament; frazzled mane, worried expression well it was from what he could tell considering she was holding her face in her hooves, she shook her head defeated, muttering something to herself. The assassin caught wind of a few choice curses. It was a seemingly impossible change from what he had seen of her yesterday; it was here he saw the governor of Ponyville and not the mare he'd got lucky with yesterday. Besides him, Feather cleared her throat to get Mayor's attention.

"Miss Mayor, Blood Moon's here" she announced. Mayor looked up at the pair, relief washing over her face but only for a second, almost immediately it was replaced by the defeated look that her face had held a moment ago.

"Hey" she murmured a faint smile on her face.

"I understand we have a problem." He got no answer; instead Mayor just pulled a brown envelope from a draw on her desk and slid it over the table to the assassin. He opened it with his magic to find one of those notes made from different letters of different headlines, cut from newspapers, it read:

UNLESS YOU WANT THESE GETTING OUT, I SUGGEST YOU STEP DOWN.

Held against the message were three pictures; one of him with Mayor's lips around his member; one of him with her over the desk (now destroyed); and the last was of Feather and Mayor Mare, their lips together, and Blood Moon mounting the two of them.

'Ah, memories.'

"That ain't good" he muttered "Do we have any idea who could have taken these?" The mayor nodded once, slowly.

"I think the Goldhooves may be making a move against Ponyville." Blood Moon gave her a blank look. "The Goldhooves are a large, and very powerful, noble family based in Canterlot, they have clawed their way to power through very…unorthodox methods." Blood Moon grunted.

"No doubt" he muttered "so, what do you mean, 'unorthodox methods'?" Feather Heart answered.

"The Goldhooves have a unique way of grasping power; they look for a large village or small town, such as Ponyville, and take measures to take it over." The dark stallion turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "It's true; they start small, relatively, by getting friendly with the biggest suppliers and businesses. For us that's Filthy Rich. Then, they go onto take influence over the guards by putting one of their sons, nephews or cousins in position of guard lieutenant."

The assassin nodded, so far it made sense; having hold over the supply chain gives them pick of the litter from some of the finest goods to grace the settlement, holding the position of lieutenant in your pocket gave you complete control over the guards. Blood Moon thought about the guard tree; the captain, Shining Armour, was at the top of the tree answering only to princess Celestia; below him were the lieutenants, they were put in charge of all guards in a village town or city; if the place was large enough, say Manehatten, then there would be sergeants scattered around who took orders from the lieutenant, passing them onto the grunts. He knew it would be impossible to push the captain off his podium but systematically undermining his influence was the next best thing.

"And now" Mayor pipes up "they're making the final move; they have the guards and the supply chain of Ponyville under their belts, so now they must be gunning for mayor" she pointed at the pictures "they're proof enough of that." Upon sight of the pictures she put her face back in her hooves with a hearty sigh.

"Surely you're over reacting, we can fix this together; I'll put a scare into anypony who poses a problem, off the records of course, and you can deal with the political side of things. Easy." She smirked half-heartedly.

"If that were the case, do you think I'd be speaking to you like this?" I

"No, I'm pretty sure he'd be on his back with his dick in your mouth" Feather muttered to herself a faint smile on her face. The assassin picked up on it and smirked at her comment.

"Well if that's the case, care to explain why everything is so doom and gloom?"

"Well, it seems that with Ponyville the way it is, they've taken…more extreme measures, to take over." Again, the assassin raised an eyebrow. "The master of the family, Sir Loaded Goldhooves, personally negotiated relations with Filthy Rich; their eldest son, Hardhoof Goldhooves, is lieutenant of the guard in Ponyville; and their best educated daughter, Quillrunner Goldhooves, is being groomed to become next mayor for Ponyville. They've taken a much more personal interest in Ponyville than any other town they've moved on." The assassin stroked his chin, feeling the stubble that had grown there.

"So, what's set to change if they do take over?"

"Well just look at the other villages they've taken over; White-gallop, one of the most peaceful milling towns in Equestria, was turned into a central woodcutting settlement, focused on business; Sin's-row, that beach resort, was turned into a rich-stallion's resort, focused on business; and Ironport, the mining and shipping town, lost any and all charm and friendly aspects and was turned into a heartless industrial settlement, focused on business, to name a few. They suck all the heart out of the places they take over, turning them into pure money makers. I'd hate to see what they could do to Ponyville." The assassin was starting to see the big picture, turning Ponyville into one of those heartless cash-pumps would result in anypony not part of the major corporation that would run the place out of a job and likely out of their homes and livelihoods. He couldn't allow that.

"Why are the Goldhooves so invested in Ponyville anyway? I mean, it can't be that much different than any other town financially, which seems to be what they're after." Mayor sighed through her nose.

"Because there's more to Ponyville than just business; for one, we're in the centre of Equestria; two Ponyville is home to the elements of harmony; and three Ponyville is very close to Canterlot. But that's not what worries me, if it were this wouldn't be as bad, still bad but not as much as it is now, it's just that…the ponies that live here are more delicate than most other towns, you need a practised hoof to be an effective leader here. You ever wonder why I'm called 'Mayor' Mare? It would be awkward if I were a store keeper wouldn't it, the reason I'm called that because my father and predecessor, Chancellor Stallion, groomed me for mayor-hood personally, but not just to become mayor of any town, Ponyville in specific. He taught me how to effectively govern this town because he knew nopony else could properly do it."

"Why would it be so difficult to govern this town?" Mayor Mare grunted amusedly.

"Well you've met a lot of our residents, so you know first hoof how…odd they can get sometimes, also, we're right on the edge of the Everfree."

"That and we're right next to Tartarus" Feather adds. That got the assassin's attention.

"Say what!?"

"The gateway to Tartarus is only a few miles westward, hay, Fluttershy takes Cerberus cookies every Wednesday." The dark stallion blinked.

"Huh."

"Yes, that too, but with those two rather blatant threats nearby, the 'uniqueness' of some of the residents and the delicate business flow, it takes a real resident of Ponyville and somepony who really knows what they're doing to keep a rein on things here. So you see my problem, and indeed the problem Ponyville as a whole, has right now." Blood Moon nodded his understanding.

"Alright, can you give me any details on the Goldhooves, anything would be useful." Mayor Mare shrugged.

"Not much is really known about them, they stay quiet so nopony can use anything against them."

"They can use blackmail against anypony to get what they want, but anypony using it against them would just be inequine" Feather comments with a roll of her eyes.

"The only good information we have is this: Hardhoof is as bent as they come, and everypony knows it, only we can never get any proof."

"Right, well it's something. I'm gonna start with finding out who took the photos, for all we know it may not be the Goldhooves and we're getting paranoid-"

"And lucky" Feather interjects.

"And it's just some political opponent trying their hoof at some more under-hoofed tactics to win next election or something." He takes another look at the pictures and pays closer attention to the details; they're taken from outside judging by the window frame over the image, possibly from one of the rooftops going on the downwards angle. He trotted over to the window and peered out.

'Note to self; refrain from sex in front of large windows in the future.'

Looking at the buildings across the way, he guessed it was the apartment block that served as the vantage point of their mystery photographer.

"Alright, I'm gonna take a look at where I think they took the pictures from and ask around, see if anypony knows anything." The mayor nodded.

"Alright, I'll stay here and try to dig more information for you. I'll have Feather Heart fetch you as soon as I have something."

"Thanks, I have a friend who may be able to help. Between the four of us, we should be able to smooth this over soon enough." The mayor seemed relieved at that.

"Thank you Blood Moon, you have no idea how much this means to me." The assassin gave a lopsided smile.

"I have an idea."

"Either way, I'll owe you." Blood Moon nodded. He turned and went to leave before he was called after. "Oh, and your cloak" she said motioning to a familiar black robe hanging from a hook on the wall. He smirked at his old friend and pulled it over to himself with his magic, fastening it around his neck.

"Thanks for holding on to it." The Mayor shrugged.

"It looks better on you." The dark stallion shrugged in a silent laugh. He turned to the door and departed with nothing else said. Outside the mayor's secretary's office he paused for thought.

'Shit, it would seem, just hit the fan. If the Goldhooves really are behind this, then I may be declaring war on a family of aristocrats. SCORE! Anyway, I'd better get to it; maybe Sand Stalker will know something. He keeps his ear to the ground so he's bound to know at least something about these guys, but I need solid proof before I do make any assumptions or make any direct moves against them. Either way, I feel a contract coming on, after all; it's not like a made a vow to give up my business.'

As he went to exit the town hall he heard his name called.

"Blood Moon, wait up!" Said killer turned to see Feather Heart galloping towards him.

"What's up" he asked nonchalantly. As the words left his mouth he could see the heat rise in her face.

"Well it's just, after what happened yesterday" she trailed off, blush on her face and her right hoof rubbing her left leg nervously. The assassin grinned and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes" he prompted.

"Well, I've never been the kind of mare who sleeps with somepony after the first date, never mind when I'd just met them. But after you so readily helped us, you seem kind of nice, soooo." The record scratched. Blood Moon could feel his body tensing and he stood a little straighter. Surely she wasn't… "I was wondering if you wanted to… meet or something." The stallion blinked, that wasn't what he had expected. He searched for words.

"You…you mean like a date?" Believe it or not, this wasn't something he was used to; he hadn't ever had what you might call a 'real' relationship, in fact, he'd only had two that could be counted as a normal one, neither of which had worked out. Throughout his life he had been in numerous relationships, pretty much all of which had been under aliases or for the purpose of a contract, business. Only three mares had been close to Blood Moon himself like that; Vinyl, Ditzy and…his…old friend. Now, apparently, Feather Heart was to be added to that short list. The mare before him seemed to notice his lack of words and looked at the floor, her hooves shuffling awkwardly.

"I-it's fine if…if you don't want to" she murmured, scratching the back of her neck. The assassin quickly blinked and shook his head rapidly.

"Uhhh, no, I mean yeah I'd love to, it's just I don't get asked out that often" he explained, scratching the back of his neck, hating the fact that he sounded like a schoolcolt again.

'Just another sign that I haven't grown up yet' he thought with a smirk.

"Oh, great" she replied, apparently shocked "I guess I'll see you…"

"Tomorrow, when do you get off work?"

"I have a half-hour break at noon."

"I'll pick you up, see you then" the assassin suggested with a smile. He got a smile and a nod in return before she bade him farewell. Once outside he slapped himself to pull himself out of his 'first date' mentality. He had a job to do, and he would do it to the best of his ability.

Though he still couldn't drop that slight grin on his face.

Rounding the Town hall until he came to the apartment block he looked up at its towering form. With a shrug he commenced his search. He began by looking around the space between the two buildings, likely looking a little odd to the ponies passing by, as he cast his eyes over every surface looking for anything out of place. A useless venture, all and all, those pictures had been taken yesterday and there had been a full night and half a day to screw up anything that may have been there, still it was better than not checking and missing something and checking and not missing something that wasn't there in the first place.

"You drop a contact lens?" The assassin looked up and saw Sand Stalker, without sword on his back, he stood with a confused smirk on his face and his head held at a bemused angle.

"What are you doin' out of the Hoof and anvil?" The merc shrugged.

"Rainbow would know to find me there" he explained. This caused the assassin to frown.

"What do you mean?" The merc looked around himself before answering.

"The other day, I told her about how I know her and her dad."

"So?"

"Well I freaked out, didn't I! I have no idea how she'll react to learning something like that." Blood Moon spotted a moving blur behind the elderly Pegasus.

"It seems you're about to find out" he noted, nodding behind the merc. Sand Stalker's eyes widened as he wiped his head around, spotting the rainbow mane and tailed mare that stood a few meters behind him.

'Ohhhh, she's pissed' was the only thought to enter the dark stallion's mind. Given the situation, it was appropriate; Rainbowdash held herself offensively, her eyes narrowed, her ears pushed against her head and her wings were held tensely, ready to fly.

"Crap" the merc muttered. Blood Moon removed himself from the situation by sending his gaze back to the ground, but stayed close by so he could listen in.

"Rainbow, listen-"

"You're damn straight I'm listenin' you damn old stallion; you've got a lot of explaining to do!" The mercenary swallowed. He'd been in a lot of tight situations before; ambushed by griffons, an assassin chasing him down and a pack of Timberwolves on his scent for two days. This wasn't something he could deal with, he wasn't somepony who could deal with other ponies too well. This wasn't something he could just fight.

"I'm sorry."

"You've got a lot to apologise for" she squared straight up to him. "Do you know what my foalhood was like? When my mom and dad died I had nopony, NOPONY! Then a few days ago, some old stallion comes into my life, I don't know who he is but he says he knows me. Then he tells me he knew my dad and he knew me as a foal. Y'know what I figured out when I was trying to get to sleep that night? I realised that I remembered him" She moved closer, pushing her enraged muzzle into his face "And that he made a promise to my dad, to look after me. My dad was dead, and you weren't there. I could have had a better foalhood, if you were there, if you'd kept your promise but you didn't, did you?"

"Rainbow-"

"DID YOU?"

"NO, no I didn't" he admitted. At this Rainbowdash backed up and prepared to take flight.

"Whatever happened to loyalty" she wondered aloud, tears in her eyes. That hit a soft spot

with the stallion, though rather than getting sad, he got angry.

"Do you want to know why" he growled. The mare stopped her accent, but didn't land. "Barely a day before your dad died I came home to my wife and child: dead. It tore me apart and I knew when I burnt down a village singled hoofed, I was in no fit condition to look after a child and I was right to have gone back to the army and not stay with you." Rainbow landed in front of Sand Stalker. She opened her mouth to say something but the merc wasn't finished. "I killed the soldiers protecting them and hunted down the mares. Then I burnt the building down to make sure I did the job properly. I couldn't have a family, so why should anypony else?" The merc locked his jaw once he was done; his eyes narrowed and regret clear in his eye. The mare took a step closer to Sand, not offensive but it definitely noticeable.

"I don't care what you did" she told him softly "you should have kept your promise. I wanted my uncle. I wanted, needed, family." With that she turned and took to the skies.

"DAMNIT" the merc exploded a few minutes after she had gone, slamming his hoof to the ground in frustration. He looked to the assassin. "I need to kill something" he growled.

"You can try, but I won't make it easy" the assassin hummed absentmindedly.

"What are you doing anyway" the mustered stallion demanded, still obviously pissed off.

"It's a long story."

"I need something to take my mind off Rainbow, humour me." The dark stallion took a deep breath through his nose as he considered; he'd been hoping to get Sand Stalker involved but under better circumstances. After a second he threw caution to the wind and told all. He pulled the merc to the side of the street and told him what had happened between him, Feather and Mayor Mare, sparing few details. Once he was done the elderly merc was smirking slightly.

"Ok: one, score, two, hang back on the details next time, three, follow you own advice about the windows, four, if you're right about the Goldhooves being involved, you're screwed and five, I never took you for a detective." The assassin shrugged.

"Fair answer…answers. Anyway, that's why I wanted to call you in; from what I can tell, you're a decent eye for detail and you managed to figure me out in about a day so you may be able to make sense of this better than me or Mayor."

"Well it's good to be of use" he muttered "but you do know if the Goldhooves are behind this, chances of having anything done about this are slim to none-existent." The assassin grinned.

"Slim to none-existent, on the books my friend." The merc returned the grin.

"So, do you have anything?" At this Blood Moon looked over the space between the buildings with distaste.

"Not a thing, but I wasn't really expecting to either. I'm banking on the fact that if there is anything; it'll be up on the roof where the pictures were taken" he explained, nodding at the building they were stood next to. Sand Stalker nodded and motioning for the assassin to lead the way. He did so and went to the door, locked.

"Crap. You wouldn't just happen to have any-" the assassin had pulled a pair of small metal sticks from a small sleeve under his middle pouch. What, you thought he carried nothing but throwing knives, navigation equipment and medical supplies? "-Lock picks?" The assassin smirked and went to work on the door, his hooves pushing against his tools to keep them in place and rotating them to work the door, listening to the soft tapping as he worked the tumblers for a few minutes, the merc keeping lookout. When the final bolt dropped he straightened up and pushed the door opened with a self-satisfied smile on his face. The two trotted in and started climbing the stairs. "So?" Blood Moon looked back at his friend.

"So, what?"

"So, do you have anything to say? About me and Dash." The assassin stopped on one of the landing and turned to Sand Stalker.

"I won't judge you, I know what it's like losing a wife and child, it's… not easy to live with that. But at the same time…Rainbow had a point. Make a promise, you should keep it, especially one of that magnitude, looking after a newly orphaned foal. I...won't take a side here, but I suggest you, at least try, to make amends with her. You both need it."

"What do you mean 'both need it' Moon" he asked with narrowed eyes. In return, the assassin shrugged.

"You lost a wife and child, she lost her parents. You both have something to offer each other. By the way, I was wondering, how come you're the only pony that can look after her? I mean come on, no other uncles, aunts or anything. No other friends?" Sand Stalker shook his head before passing by and continuing up the stairs, the assassin following him up.

"Believe it or not, yes. Rainbowshine and Blazing Trails were both in the army, they were…" the way he trailed off made the assassin curios as to what their position was in the forces.

"Well I'd tell you only it's-"

"Don't give me any classified bull shit. I'm an immortal assassin who used to foal sit Celestia and Luna, I used to be their personal bodyguard and then went on to become one of their most formidable generals, I'm pretty sure I'm entitled to a few military ranks." The merc shrugged.

"Whatever, they were special, VERY special, forces. They performed most of, buck, all of the black ops; assassinations, sabotage, stealing enemy plans, kidnapping, surveillance and the such. Y'know, the kind of stuff you got up to and I did." Blood Moon nodded, though inwardly he was impressed; he couldn't imagine Rainbowdash's parents as secret military ops. He was about to comment on the seemingly unlikeliness of it when he caught the mercenary's face. He didn't need his gift to know he was holding something back.

"I get the feeling something happened to them, something that killed them. Op gone wrong?" The merc shook his head, the assassin couldn't help but notice the slight 'pissed off' look his face held.

"No, worse; a price was put on their heads, a big price, I'm talkin' more than Celestia and Luna combined. That and they had multiple factions on their tails; the griffons, the Changelings, the followers of Discord bucking all of their targets and they were a big list. There were two ways it could have gone down; either, they lived forever in fear of death, always moving, fighting to live and you know what? They could have done that I think. Their exploits are legendary; Wrath of Celestia, palace diamond dog, raven fire…all of them were their operations." Blood Moon whistled appreciatively; he'd heard of all of those operations and he knew none had failed and he'd always wanted to meet their architects.

"Wow, I heard about them, what were they called uhhh, Ventus and Ignis, wasn't it?" The mustard merc nodded, and spoke in a way that told him that he was running fond memories through his mind.

"Yep, wind and fire" he said with a smile on his face before he sighed wistfully. "The other choice was to…die. I trust you see where this is going." The assassin did the math. His face slackened.

"You don't mean…" Sand Stalker nodded once.

"Yes. Rainbowshine and Blazing Trails are still alive" he sighed once more "and their daughter doesn't even know." After he said that he pushed his way through another door, went to the edge of the roof and paused. The assassin shook his head and followed.

"That…that isn't right. A foal should be with her parents, not have to grow up alone, no matter the circumstances." He turned his gaze to the merc. "Am I the only one on this roof who wants to tell her?" Sand Stalker gave a 'you got me there' look and shrugged.

"No but…think of the consequences; she'd find out that her parents were alive the whole time but weren't there for her. The same way I wasn't. I mean, what would you do in her hooves?"

"I didn't exactly like my parents, but if they were anything like what I can assume Dash's parents were like, I'd react pretty badly. Like what she said to you but without mercy. Still…I think she deserves to know." The merc shrugged.

"Maybe she does…but her parents deserve to stay on the down low. It's a catch twenty-two: reveal your existence and die or keep everypony you love thinking you're dead so you can live." The assassin nodded and turned back to the rooftop.

"True enough. Anyway, we should get to looking around." The two proceed to move further onto the roof.

"We looking for anything in specific" the merc asked.

"Anything out of place, it looks like it doesn't belong, check it out. Then we move onto what does belong and we check that. I want every wall looked at, every square-inch of floor searched, every stone turned and every candy wrapper scrutinized."

"Well, good to see you have the specifics down" the merc muttered. The assassin grunted and got to searching; for an hour the two poured over every surface, looking for anything that resembled a clue. In the end, neither turned up with anything so they expanded their search to looking at pretty much everything. Another few hours later, again, neither had anything to show for their time.

"Son of a whorse" the mercenary muttered to himself in frustration. The assassin knew how he felt; he didn't like the fact he had nothing going on for himself and nothing to show for his efforts. He looked over the side of the building, at what he deduced to be the vantage point of the photographer and looked down to the window.

'Yep, this is definitely it. It can't have been anywhere else surely. I hope not anyway, I don't want to have wasted the day.'

He was about to call it a day when he passed his gaze along the ground he was on and caught sight of…something. It was faint, very faint, and he likely would have missed it if he was without his keen sense of sight and if it had rained last night. It looked like a stain or puddle of some sort. He couldn't identify it and raised an eyebrow at it as he attempted to do so.

"Hey Sand, come over here" he called over to the mustard stallion. Said merc approached and was about to ask what the matter was but saw his friend staring at a seemingly regular piece of floor. He took a closer look, a much closer look, and found what he was starting at.

"What…what is that" he wondered aloud. The assassin leaned in close and let his sense of smell take over. He quickly recoiled and put a disgusted look on his face. "What" the merc asked with a bemused smirk on his face.

"That…it…you don't wanna know" he told him running his hoof over his face in further disgust.

"Oh I'm sure I do" he answered. Blood Moon shot him an agitated look before he looked between the 'thing' and the stallion in a way that hinted at the answer. The mustered stallion frowned and then his jaw dropped. "Aw buck no!" The assassin nodded in a 'you asked for it' kind of way. "You mean he was…while he was watching you…and taking photos…Discord's antlers that stallion's got some problems and…he's… pretty good at multi-tasking when you think about" he finished quickly.

"Well, you ain't lying" Blood Moon murmured. He looked back over the rest of the roof top and hoped to see something neither had seen earlier, though he was fairly sure that this was the only thing he had. He sighed, heavily, and turned back to the mark on the floor.

"You have any way to get that up" the merc asked. The dark stallion frowned and scratched the back of his neck. His horn sparked to life and his lower pouch opened itself and his empty syringe floated out and put the needle to the ground. He then pulled back on the plunger and lifted it to his face. Inside the barrel a small amount of the substance sat and with a shake of his head he put it back in his pouch. "So, let's take a head count: buck all and a syringe of jizz."

"Well, we know one thing: whoever we're dealing with is half moron, half professional. He's left no other evidence."

"Well the thing he did leave behind was pretty major and moronic. How does that work?" The assassin looked over at the merc.

"You ever tried to think straight right after-"

"That's enough" the mustard stallion cut in. He took a deep breath through his nose to calm himself. "So now what?"

"I'm planning on asking around, any rumour is good enough for me. I need to find out if anything unusual has happened lately."

"Well in that case you'll want to speak to Rarity, she may not look it but she knows a lot of, hay, pretty much all the rumours and gossip in and around Ponyville. I don't know how she gets wind of everything but she does." The assassin nodded and turned to the doorway. "You want me to do anything to help out? I'm pretty sure this is gonna cause problems for more than just you and the mayor."

"Maybe, can you dig up anything on the Goldhooves? Mayor is already on it but I'd rather somepony of your station looking into it as well."

"I know a few guys who owe me some favours. One or two of them may be able to find something out about them, but I won't make any promises; the Goldhooves are known for keeping all their dirty little secrets far, far away from them. I actually worked for them on a few occasions, they ain't nice ponies." Blood Moon descended the last flight of stairs and opened the door.

"That's pretty much what Mayor Mare told me, either way, I'm gonna see what Rarity knows and then try and find anything out for myself." Sand Stalker nodded and bade the assassin farewell before turning and trotting into the marketplace, disappearing into the crowds.

Blood Moon turned away and went his own way; he went south, towards where he believed Rarity's tailor to be located. He arrived quickly and was immediately struck by her place of work; it looked like a frilly circus tent of some sort with pinks, sky blues, purples and dark and light oranges. It was decorated with numerous ornaments, a pair of pony outlines on the second level and a red flag on top. He could only imagine that Rarity had designed the place herself. He pushed open the door and looked around himself; he was surrounded by large amounts of materials and fabrics, familiar and foreign, pretty much all the colours in the spectrum lying at his hooves. Ahead of him a white furred mare was working at a sewing machine with a familiar filly sat next to her.

"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique and magnifique" Rarity's voice sang out.

"Hmm, catchy, it rhymes too" he said absentmindedly as he continued to look around the room. She turned around at the sound of the assassin's dark voice.

"Ah, mister Moon. How nice to see you" she greeted. Blood Moon gave a slight bow, remembering proper etiquette around a lady.

"And you Rarity, but please call me Blood Moon. I've never been one for titles like that." The mare shrugged and got off her stool, sat behind her desk.

"Very well Blood Moon, now what may I…?" She didn't finish her question; instead as she got closer to the dark stallion her eyes were locked onto his chest, she frowned as she scrutinized his vest. After a few seconds her lower jaw appeared to gain a few tones as it hung a good foot below her muzzle, a slight line of drool running down her mouth. "Is…is that" she swallowed "R-Robus weave?" The assassin took a few steps back.

"It is" he answered, warily.

"What is it Rarity" Sweetie-Belle asked from besides her.

"Sweetie-Belle, do you have ANY idea just how rare Robus-weave is." The filly looked between the mare and stallion in confusion.

"Well, let me put it to you like this" the assassin answered for her "if you were to raid Canterlot palace, steal all the riches to be found within, then rob EVERY bank in Equestria, THEN hold Celestia and Luna prisoner and demand ransom of the highest amount, you would still have to sell the Canterlot palace and rob a dragon's stash of gems to pay for this."

"Woooow" she drawled with wide eyes.

"Uh-huh. The only way to get it is to have a dragon, at least as old as myself, weave the scales of another dragon, again at least as old as myself, into the desired shape."

"That's amazing, but how do you weave a dragon's scales?" The assassin grinned.

"That's why only a dragon can make the stuff." He suddenly noticed the discrete breeze on his chest and noticed his vest was no longer there. Blood Moon looked up in alarm until he noticed that Rarity was a little away across the room with his vest held in her magical grip. His expression fell as he saw her gazing at it with wide, sparkling eyes.

"Robus-weave, here in my boutique" she whispered, sounding like Celestia herself had just ordered something from her. The stallion and the filly just glanced at each other as they watched her.

"Rarity, I dare say the condition of that vest is not what you're used to dealing with" he comments in an attempt to pry her away from one of his most prized possessions. She didn't seem to hear him through the walls of her own little world. With a sigh, the assassin trotted up to her and stopped besides her, he waved his hoof in front of her face, un-phased, he tapped her on the head a few times, much of the same.

"RARITY" he bellowed right into her ear, still no response. In the end, his decision punctuated with another sigh, he resorted to more desperate measures; he reached forward with his right hoof and put it at the base of her horn before running it up to the tip, massaging one of the most sensitive parts of her body. Rarity quickly responded to his touch with a pleased shudder, closing her eyes slightly, revealing her sky blue eye shadow, letting a blush kiss her cheeks and a light moan escaping her lips. Her concentration lost, she fell to her flank still in her bliss as the assassin looked on amused at how this meeting had turned out. The mare regained her senses as another groan escaped her.

"B-Blood Moon, this is hardly appropriate" she drawled, a slight smile on her face. Her eyes snapped open and she hopped away from him "Blood Moon, please, control yourself!"

"You're one to talk" he smirked "stealing my vest and then sitting there enjoying a horn massage, I took you for a mare of proper manners." Rarity feigned hurt, putting a hoof to her chest.

"How could you" she asked with an overly dramatic hoof to her fore-head "and you're barely a proper gentlecolt yourself, taking advantage of me in such a way." They both took to chuckling after the short ordeal. "Now, you must have come here for a reason mister Blood Moon" she determined as she slipped the vest back over his head "may I ask as to why?" She took a look over his attire "perhaps you desire some new clothing?" The assassin looked at his garb, guessing the mare was unimpressed with the mostly destroyed cloak, hood and vest.

"Maybe one day Rarity, for now, however, I need information." Rarity gave an excited gasp.

"Oh how positively noir, the femme fatale, the private eye in the shade of night, the smoky alleyways and moon lit nights." She put a hoof to her chin in thought "I wonder how I would perform as an information broker" she murmured to herself.

"Well maybe we'll be able to find out; what do you know about the Goldhooves?" As the name left his mouth he could see the distaste in her expression.

"Oh, don't get me started on them" she huffed "they're nothing but a bunch of stuck up nobles of the worse kind. They even had the audacity to insult my work."

"The nerve" Blood Moon said in a dry tone, his face flat . "Rarity, do you know anything about them" he repeated. Rarity made a show of looking around them before leaning in conspiratorially.

"Well, rumour is, the master and lady of the family's eldest daughter, Quillrunner, has been seen around Ponyville, with no cause and Loaded Goldhooves, the family's master, has been seen with Filthy Rich these last few months" she told him, a hoof at the side of her maw. The two backed up, Blood Moon with a hoof to his chin.

"Interesting" he murmured, committing the information to memory "Rarity, do you know how the Goldhooves managed to become wealthy?" The mare shook her head. "They take control over villages and towns; it starts with the large merchants of the place, then the guards and finally, they move for position of mayor. So far, it seems they've made friendly with Filthy Rich, put one of their own in position of guard lieutenant and now-"

"They're trying to become mayor of Ponyville" she finished, with a shocked and worried expression "that is, of all the worst things that could happen, this is the! Worst! Possible!-"

"Rarity" the assassin cut off in a flat tone. Said mare looked up to find him watching her with a bored look on his face. With a small, embarrassed blush, she stood properly, dusting herself off awkwardly. With a small 'ahem' she looked back up to the assassin, whom was smirking lightly. "Anyway, I'm going to go out and think about what I can do about this." Rarity blinked a few times.

"Excuse me?"

"What?"

"You said you were going to do something about this?"

"I did."

"Well, it's just, not many ponies asides the Elements of Harmony would so readily go out and protect Ponyville." The assassin shrugged.

"Not many ponies are me." With that he headed for the door.

"Blood Moon, stop" said assassin turned "I simply cannot allow you to trot out of my boutique without at least some concepts in the works." Once more, the assassin smirked.

"I appreciate it Rarity but-" as he spoke a vivid-blue aura surrounded him and he found himself floating over to a pedestal surrounded by mirrors "well, seems I don't have much of a choice do I?" Another blue aura swept over him and his vest, hood and cloak flew off of him and levitated over to Rarity. "You have gotta teach me that spell" he announced with a face slackened in awe. Rarity frowned in confusion.

"Pardon me?"

"The spell to strip a pony bare, imagine the possibilities." The mare took a second to click; once she did she put a hoof to her mouth and giggled another blush on her face.

"Well, not all of them" she said, motioning at the belt still around his waist. Blood Moon looks down to it, unsurprised that it remained; he'd personally enchanted it to defend against any magical attempts to remove it besides his own, the only way for anypony else to remove it was to get close enough to do it by hoof. This was exactly what Rarity was doing.

"Easy there" he said, a sly grin on his face.

"Oh please, this is simply revenge for earlier." The assassin laughed.

"Last time a mare said that to me when I gave them a horn massage, I ended up sleeping with her." Rarity giggled.

"Don't tempt me" she whispered. The assassin heard.

"I wouldn't mind actually" Blood Moon informed. Rarity squeaked in embarrassment.

"Sweetie-Belle" she called, trying to change the subject, the filly in question appearing at her side within moments. Rarity stood up for a second and sniffed the dark stallion's garments before pulling back in disgust.

"Yes Rarity" she responded, clearly eager to help her sister.

"Take these to the laundry room, will you?" She levitated the black and grey wears over her awaiting sister's head before dropping them on her.

"Sure thing Rarity" came the filly's muffled voice, the pile then moved towards one of the back rooms like a small rag monster. Rarity, meanwhile, had released the belt and took a look at it before cringing.

"Leather" she asked in a voice that hoped she was wrong. Blood Moon nodded.

"Made from manticor hide" he clarified.

"Well, as a seamstress, I suppose I can see its…uses" she conceded, floating it over to a nearby table. She then went to work with a tape measure, gauging his legs, back, neck and everything else.

"Now let's see. You have a muscled physique, a laid back stance" she moved to face him "a characterful face" she murmured "you strike me as a pony who doesn't care much for who doesn't care for refinement more a…rugged taste, am I right?" She cocked her head to the side and put a hoof to her chin "I'm thinking something dark, with plenty of character, motion…IDEA!" She then dashed out of the room leaving a puff of smoke where she had once stood. The assassin glanced at Sweetie-Belle, whom had reappeared when he was being measured, who glanced back and shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's not as bad as it usually is; sometimes she can go on a tandem for hours on end, once she was sat talking to herself about a whole new fashion line for about a day. It was really weird; I couldn't even get her to eat the breakfast I made."

"Why do I get the feeling she may have a problem" he asked nopony in particular as he turned back to the door Rarity had disappeared into. "So you made her breakfast, I noticed you don't have a cutie mark yet…"

"No, I'm not really into cooking, if that's what you're getting at."

"No good at it" he asked.

"Yeah, all's I really managed to do was burn everything."

"It can't have been that bad."

"I served her burnt toast." The stallion raised an eyebrow expectantly. "In a glass." Blood Moon blinked a few times.

"Been there sister" he admitted.

"Really?" The assassin nodded, remembering that one time the cook in Canterlot palace was ill and nopony was there to cover for her, so he had to take things into his own hooves. It didn't go well. "Well anyway, me and the rest of the Cutie mark crusaders are trying everything we can to find our special talents." Blood moon hopped off the podium Rarity had left him on, sat on his flank, and leant against it.

"I'm probably gonna regret this but, what's a 'Cutie mark crusader'?" She practically exploded with excitement.

"Me, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are going around doing whatever it takes to earn our cutie marks." The assassin blinked.

"Why?" Sweetie-Belle looked distraught.

"What do you mean 'why'? We're the only ones in Ponyville who don't have our cutie marks yet!" Blood Moon smirked knowingly but dropped the point.

"So, what have you tried so far?" Sweetie-Belle's legs seemed unable to support her weight as she fell to the floor with her flank in the air and a pout on her face.

"Everything" she exclaimed.

"You can't have done everything" the assassin argued.

"Well it sure feels like it, we've tried everything from creature catching to bowling and everything else in between, even sky-diving" she gave a particularly heavy hearted sigh "I don't think we'll ever find our cutie marks."

"Well, what haven't you tried?"

"We haven't not tried nothing."

"Double negative" he muttered "well that can't be true; if you did you'd have your cutie mark by now."

"Well duuh, we haven't tried EVERYTHING, I mean we haven't tried anything like dragon taming." She put a hoof to her chin and hummed in thought.

"No dragon taming" he scolded.

"Hey, you aren't my-" she looked at his narrowed red eyes. "Yes sir."

"So what do you like doing, like a hobby or something outside your 'crusading'?"

"I like helping Rarity out with the dressmaking."

"You any good at it?"

"Not especially, but I appreciate the effort" Rarity called from her room.

"Well that answers that" Blood Moon mutters "but that sounds more like work to me, what do

you do just for enjoyment?"

"I mostly just do crusading with the others." The assassin mentally face hoofed.

"Maybe you're destined to forever help others find their mark? Have a cutie mark of a cutie mark or something." The filly looked like she'd just been told she was going to die in a few days.

"You mean I'll never get my cutie mark?" The stallion's face fell flat.

"That's not what I said, besides, everypony has a talent of some sort. You just need to be patient, you'll find it eventually." She sat on her flank with her fore-hooves crossed.

"You're just like the other adults, 'be patient this' and 'just wait that' it doesn't help us find our cutie marks." The assassin smirked.

"Ok, have you ever had anypony make a passing complement to you or suggest you do something but you never thought you could or thought you wouldn't enjoy it?" She thought about it for a second.

"Yeah, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo always say that I'm a good singer, one time they even said that I should sing when we were in the talent show, but I don't think I could sing in front of a crowd. How'd you know?" Blood moon raised an eyebrow.

"Stage fright? Wouldn't your friends be there to support you?"

"Yeah but I'd have to be up there alone. It's scary."

"No, Sweetie-Belle, singing in front of a bunch of ponies isn't scary, you know what is?"

"What" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Dragon taming and creature catching, hay, so is sky-diving but you did both of them and you were prepared to go out looking for dragons, I know stallions who would gallop for the hills at the mere thought."

"That's because we knew there's always the chance of us getting our cutie marks" she argued.

"And there's no chance of getting it by singing, is there?"

"But it's scaaaary" she moaned in the cutest way possible. "You wouldn't know what it's like, standing on a stage with hundreds of ponies staring up at you, waiting for you to start and then you freeze up and-and" she trailed off as she imagined the image.

"Well you got me there" he admitted "why don't you start off small."

"What do you mean?"

"Surely you know what 'start off small means' Sweetie-belle?"

"Yeah, it's the opposite of starting off big."

"Smart flank" he grinned "what I mean is start off simple, I dunno, maybe sing to your sister and her friends."

"Or maybe I could sing with you right now" she suggested with gusto. Blood Moon simply blinked.

"What?"

"I could sing with you, that way you could help me along if I got it wrong!"

"I don't know" he said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Plaeaaaaaase" she begged, getting in his face with giant eyes.

"That doesn't work with me" he told her, laidback. Sweetie-Belle leaned back with a surprised look on her face.

"W-what, but it always worked before." The assassin grunted, bemused.

"Let's just say, I have experience with puppy dog eyes" he answered "but sure, I'll sing with you."

"But, what should I sing?" The assassin shrugged nonchalantly.

"I dunno, it was your idea. What songs do you know?"

"I know a few, but what songs do you know?" Blood Moon thought about it.

"I know one song and one song only."

"What is it?"

"The assassin's song" he answered, not exactly wanting to go through with this.

"Hey I know that one. My mom and Rarity sing it to me when I can't get to sleep, I always liked it but I always thought it was a little dark." The stallion shrugged.

"Just goes to show, not everything dark is necessarily bad."

"I guess so" she agreed.

"Can you remember the first line?"

"I think so." She gave a high pitched clear of her throat as Blood Moon rolled his neck to relax himself. They both took a breath before they started.

"On those dark, weary days and those cold, windy nights pray the assassin will watch over your plight." The two began the song in unison; Blood Moon's voice was lower and much deeper than Sweetie-Belle's and seemed less out of place than the fillie's but the assassin had to admit: she was a damn good singer.

"With blood on his hooves and death in his heart the assassin will watch over, from the end till the start

With blood on his blade, and shrouded in night the assassin will be there, with his ever silent might. From dawn until dusk and from winter till fall year after year he will always stand tall." As they continued, the stallion couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between the two; it was one of those classic 'light and dark, good and evil' sorts of scenes.

"With blood on his blade, and shrouded in night the assassin will be there, with his ever silent might. From dawn until dusk and from winter till fall year after year he will always stand tall." Blood Moon began to fade his voice away, letting his rumbling voice leave the tune, but didn't stop in fear of Sweetie-Belle catching him.

"The assassin will watch over all good colts and mares always listening to their ever hopeful prayers. He will always watch over the weak and the poor should you ever cross him he'll give you what for." Blood Moon stopped his singing and listened to her; Starswirl's beard, she was good, she seemed to have picked up on the tune and tempo of the song quickly and kept to it masterfully. Whoever had complimented her had been right to do so; she was most definitely born for this.

"With blood on his blade, and shrouded in night the assassin will be there, with his ever silent might. From dawn until dusk and from winter till fall year after year he will always stand tall."

"The assassin will be there, so silent and still watching and waiting, for the moment until. Those who have wronged you will fall to his blade and never will he rest till the debt has been paid"

"With blood on his blade, and shrouded in night the assassin will be there, with his ever silent might. From dawn until dusk and from winter till fall year after year he will always stand tall." She carried the last note for a second before she let the song end, her eyes closed and a small smile on her face, before she realised she had sung the latter half of the song by herself.

"You stopped singing" she exclaimed.

"And I'm glad I did" he responded. Sweetie-Belle looked like she was about to cry.

"Was I really that bad" she asked. That one hit the stallion in the gut; she, apparently, had some confidence problems when it came to her singing.

"Sweetie-Belle, promise me something."

"You don't want me to sing again, do you" she said, even closer to tears. The assassin shook his head.

"Quite the opposite, I want you to never, ever, doubt yourself like that again and don't ever stop singing. I've been alive a fairly long time and I've never met somepony, of your age no less, with such raw talent in music." The filly gave him a wide eyed look of pure disbelief.

"Y-you really think so."

"I know so" he answered. She sat in silence for a few seconds before she exploded into movement, leaping into the air and dashing for the assassin and wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou" she squealed into his ear at point-blank range. She jumped off of him and sped to the door "I gotta tell Apple Bloom and Scootaloo about this." She dashed out of the boutique in a similar fashion as her sister had when she'd got her 'idea'.

"Oh my" a disembodied voice said. The assassin looked around himself for a second until he spotted Rarity at the bottom of the stairs, a hoof to her chin and tears welling up behind her eyes.

"Something the matter?" Rarity took a second to respond to his voice, when she did she trotted over to the assassin with her eyes still locked on the door her little sister had left from.

"It's just, I've never heard her sing properly before" she took a second to gather herself "it was beautiful" she squeaked, clearly getting emotional. "And to think, she may have even found her talent." Blood Moon nodded. They sat in silence for a while before Rarity seemed to remember something. "Oh, and I've finished your new garment" she announced.

"Already" he asked, actually shocked. Rarity took it in her ladylike stride.

"Well, they don't call me one of the best designers in Equestria for nothing" she said, with a glamorous throw of her mane. Her horn glowed and a piece of black material floated into the room and onto Blood Moon. It was a trench coat; the colour was of the deepest black, in fact it had the same effect as his mane and tail; it looked to be made from leather, but he knew it wasn't, though it held all its properties of strength, flexibility and lightness; the individual pieces were stitched together perfectly, all the stitching was invisible but she'd put crosses over each seam, likely to give it character; the belt that tied it together had sublet, silver designs over it, they flowed smoothly and he could see his cutie mark worked subtly into the designs; thin belts and buckles were over the cuffs and the hem; and the lapel and collar were slightly wider than a normal coat, Blood Moon could only guess they were there to better cover his face when popped up.

"Rarity I'm…actually impressed" he said, moving around in it, getting a feel for it; it fit perfectly and felt like he had been wearing it for years.

"I got the idea for something more flowing and less restrictive but when it came to an actual shape and detailed design I was at a loss for something that just spoke 'Blood Moon'. But then I remembered our conversation about information brokers and noir and inspiration STRUCK" she sang.

"Well it's definitely…me."

"Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to keep your other things here so I can at least do some repairs or at the very least wash them." Blood Moon scratched the back of his neck and laughed sheepishly.

"Heh, no arguments here, it'll be nice not to have to go around in stuff that's got more sweat in it than there is wetness between your hind-legs when I rubbed your horn." Rarity gave a ladylike giggle before realising what he'd just said so casually. She gave him a panicked, wide eyed look before she looked back between her rear legs. She bit her lower lip and backed away slowly.

"I…um…I-I think Twilight said she wanted to see you earlier, darling" she said, backing towards the stairs and eventually to her bedroom "best not to keep her waiting, hmm." She gave a polite and hasty 'goodbye' before dashing up stairs and slamming her door behind her, the distinct sound of a door lock being engaged following. The assassin watched the whole scene with an amused smile on his face.

"I'll see you later then Rarity" he said to the empty room and he turned to leave. As he turned and left, his coat flowing majestically, and satisfyingly, around him as he went, he picked up his belt and wrapped it around him.

Outside he gazed around himself, watching the world go about it's business; he trotted through Ponyville's marketplace, mares, stallions and foals around him, all happy and content. He couldn't let the Goldhooves take this place for themselves; he felt 'sucking the heart out' was either drastic or an exaggeration, but he found himself unwilling to risk it. He found the Golden oaks library quickly, memories of the night the Changeling's attack coming back to him. He still wondered why that had happened. He knocked his hoof against the door three times and waited for Twilight, though he didn't get what he was expecting.

"Yeah?" The voice was male, young and boyish. The assassin blinked; the door seemed to have opened itself and spoke to him. "Hey, down here!" Blood Moon turned his gaze down and saw…something.

"And you are?" The purple and green lizard shuddered.

"Wow, your voice is creepy." The stallion snorted.

"Nice, I can only presume that you're Spike, right?" He nodded feverishly.

"Yep, that's me. I'm Twilight's number one assistant."

"You're a…baby dragon, right?"

"Yeah." The assassin frowned.

"Hmm, a dragon acting as an assistant to a mare." The drake scowled.

"Yeah, I am, you got a problem" he asked with his arms crossed.

"Not really, dragons are known to be prideful, greedy and simply evil creatures by nature, it's refreshing to see one drop his nature for those he cares about." That seemed to catch him off guard.

"Oh, uhhh thanks, I guess. I take it you're here to see Twilight?" The assassin nodded. "Come in, she's around somewhere." Blood Moon did as asked, stepping into the library. He looked around himself and saw, of all ponies, Rainbowdash. He trotted up to her.

"Hey." The mare looked up and nodded to him.

"Oh, hey, it's you. How you been?"

"Fine, hanging with Sand Stalker." At this she scowled.

"Don't talk to me about him." The stallion sat next to her.

"Give him a break will you? He's feeling about as rough as you are right now, I mean come

on, he had a pretty good reason for not wanting to be here."

"Yeah…wait how do you know?"

"I saw your and Sand Stalker's whole 'confrontation'."

"Oh…then you agree, right?"

"I'm not taking sides, you both have reasons I can relate to."

"It could have been better for us both though" she said softly, her grief clear in her tone.

"Well, give him a chance, and maybe things can be better now." Rainbow shrugged.

"Maybe" she murmured. Blood Moon looked over her shoulder and frowned.

"What are you reading" he asked, in part effort to change the subject and part curiosity. She seemed to perk up at this.

"It's a book about famous ponies and their known bloodlines." The assassin raised an eyebrow. "I take it that you noticed my mane?" The stallion nodded, it was kind of unavoidable. "Well I found out it was a bloodline thing; the first born of somepony with a rainbow mane is bound to have one themselves, they're also guaranteed to be a Pegasus" she told him, her tone telling him she had quoted what she'd just said.

"Ok" he said at length.

"Do you know the story about 'Hearth's Warming Eve'?" Blood Moon shrugged.

"Who doesn't?"

"Well, I was given the part of Commander Hurricane in the play a little while back, because of our similar mane style. So I got to thinking 'if the whole rainbow mane thing is a family thing, maybe I'm related to her'."

"Ah, yes. The great Commander Hurricane."

"So, I take it you knew her" the mare asked in a tone of slight interest. The assassin chuckled.

"Oh, I more than knew her" he said with a grin on his face.

"What do you mean?" The assassin looked over at her in a way that said everything. The mare's jaw hit the floor. "You're kidding me?" He shook his head. She responded by laughing and punching him in the fore-leg. "You dog" she laughed "just think, I'm sat here with somepony who's done the deed with Commander Hurricane" she said, mock longingly. She paused in her giggles and looked around the room before leaning in to him. "What was she like?" He had to laugh at that one, if only because it sounded so out of place coming from her. He decided to humour her.

"At first she was commanding, but as time went on she became more and more submissive. It was the pillow talk that took me by surprise though, she really liked to cuddle." Rainbow looked at him in disbelief.

"You can remember that?" He shrugged.

"She was more memorable than most, that, and it was my first time on a cloud bed." The mare looked down at her book with a 'huh' and flicked through a few more pages.

"Hey I found it" she declared, pointing at a page holding Commander Hurricane's picture and a few pages listing descendants. "Aw buck" she cursed.

"What?"

"It doesn't say who she had her first child with."

"So?"

"I was just curious, y'know." She looked over the list of descendants some more. "Hey, I know that name" she said pointing at one in specific 'Rainbow Blizzard'. She pulled out another book and flipped it open; she then kept looking between the two before pumping a hoof into the air. "Alright, so I am related to her" she cried before putting a hoof to her chin in thought.

"But it would be nice to know who that stallion was though."

"Guess we'll never find out" the assassin declared. And In freaky unison the two sighed, completely unaware they had identical jaw bones. As they sat there, Twilight trotted down from her room and saw the stallion sitting with Rainbowdash.

"Oh, hey Rainbow, you find that book?"

"Yeah, turns out I am related to Hurricane. How awesome is that" she squealed.

"Yeah, congratulation."

'Congratulations? For what, it was the guy who knocked up Hurricane who deserves some kind of praise.'

The assassin shook the thoughts from his head when he heard his name called.

"Blood Moon, you in there" Twilight called.

"Hm, yeah, what?"

"I was just asking you why you were here." The assassin frowned.

"Rarity said you wanted me." It was Twilight's turn to frown.

"What, how did she know?"

"Know what?"

"That I've been having trouble with a few spells, I wanted the help of another unicorn, but only me and Spike know about that." The assassin shrugged.

"Well, I guess it was just a lucky guess" he said dismissively. "So, trouble with spells?"

"Yeah, if you've got the time I'd appreciate some help." Blood Moon shrugged.

"Well, I've had enough crap today, I could use a break from it. Sure, I'll give you a hoof." She

brightened up at that.

"Great, follow me outside and we'll get started." The stallion shrugged to himself and

complied, trotting for the door.

"I'll see you later Dash" he called over his shoulder. Twilight looked over at the stallion.

"I noticed the new coat" she said, looking over the stallion's new attire. Blood Moon looked down himself and shrugged.

"I went over to Rarity's earlier, she decided I needed new clothing. Next thing I know I'm naked and she'd sizing me up….I'd rephrase that only it's too amusing." Twilight giggled slightly.

"Well, it looks very nice on you" she told him.

"I look good in everything" he told her with mock sureness in his tone. Twilight lead him towards a ring drawn in the dirt, it was about three meters wide and seemed freshly made.

"What's all this" he asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"It's a training ring I made" she said proudly.

"Why would you need a training ring?"

"For the magic I've been practicing!"

"Circle in the dirt magic?" It was at that point she performed an atomic facehoof.

"No silly, combat magic." The assassin snorted.

"Combat magic?"

"Yeah, what you don't think I'm capable?"

"Honestly? No." She scowled at him.

"Jerk" she muttered. Blood Moon couldn't help but laugh at that one.

"Alright then, why don't you show me what you can do?" Twilight smiled mischievously. They

stood in the ring, adjacent to each other, Twilight with her back arched in an offensive manner and Blood Moon stood like he was waiting in a line in the post-office. Twilight charged her horn and fired, the assassin simply stepping out of the way and firing his own, hitting her square in the chest. The mare squealed and tumbled out of the ring, landing with her face in the dirt and flank in the air. "Hmm, not bad" he murmured.

"JERK" she shouted from her position. She looked up to see the dark stallion crackling like a mad stallion. She pouted and rested her head on the floor as he trotted over to her, a grin still on his face. "Where'd I go wrong?" He pursed his lips.

"Well, where to start? Ok, I got it: you weren't moving, you took too long to charge your horn and you used a spell WAY too advanced for the situation. Twilight, you know how to use the magic, but you don't know a thing about actually fighting." Twilight frowned.

"How does that work?" He sighed and helped her up, before motioned for her to stand in the ring again.

"Lesson one: movement. Staying hot on your hooves is key to any magical dual, staying still is a one way ticket to the morgue, take what you just did for example; staying still and locking your stance when you're about to cast your spell? Wrong way to win a fight, right way to die or get injured."

"Alright I get it" the mare interrupted "what should I do?"

"It's simple really; you just gotta work on your hoofwork. Now, do as I do." He began to move around the ring, his hooves skilfully dancing around one another to keep him upright and moving quickly, fuelled by millennia of experience. Twilight, however, seemed to have forgotten how to move on her hooves properly when going sideways. "Alright Twilight, keep moving and hit me quick, don't give me time to move." She nodded and charged her horn for a second before stopping and firing. Blood Moon, however, didn't stop and the spell flew past him. He growled to himself as he ran his hoof down his face. "Wrong again, A) you stopped, again B) your hoofwork was, frankly, awful and C) you fired where I was, not where I was going. You really don't know what you're doing do you?"

"Hey, lay off will you. This is my first time doing anything like this."

"That's what she said" he muttered. "Alright, since you know how to cast spells, you just don't know how to use them properly, we'll just focus on your movement for now."

"Makes sense" she said hesitantly. She prepared to start moving when the assassin stopped her.

"No, come closer so you can copy my movements" he instructed. Twilight complied and went further into the ring where Blood Moon stood. The two began to move around each other; they began slowly, Twilight watching the stallion's steps intently as he moved, she tried to match his steps but was having trouble. It seemed she had little to no grace. "Discord's antlers you're bad at this" he commented with a bemused grin on his face.

"Jerk, I already said I've never really done this before."

"I object, you've never done this before at all Twilight" he argued.

"Shut up, it's not like I'm being trained by masters of my time."

"No you're not, you're being trained by the result of that training, so don't insult me." Blood Moon was met with narrowed eyes.

"Will you stop putting me down! I already said I'm not very good at this."

"Once more, I object, you're awful at this." Twilight snorted, this steam pushed from her nose visible through her anger.

"Alright then" she whispered to herself. She sparked her horn to life, firing a blast of magic at the stallion who side stepped and retorted with his own. Twilight blocked his attack with a barrier her brother had taught her and shot six small beams from her horn in quick succession at the stallion. He dodge-rolled out of the way of the first two, then hit the rest out of the air with a line of his darkly coloured magic, slamming them down like a lion tamer with a whip. He released the spell, and fired up another and the clouds above Twilight suddenly became darker and lightning flashed from them. She narrowly managed to dodge the attack. When she looked back, the assassin wasn't there. She looked around but couldn't see him, confused she charged her horn in case he-

"Surprise" he bellowed as he erupted from the ground, in a hail of dirt and rock. She screamed and fell back, resorting to teleporting away from him. She turned to face him and saw him turn to her just as fast and fire a spell her way, which she once again blocked but he didn't stop with the onslaught, he continued firing numerous spells into her shield before he paused for a second and fired at the ground in front of her, casting dust in her face. The mare growled and waved a hoof in her face, coughing the dirt from her lungs. She pushed the cloud away with a gust of magically conjured wind. What she saw next worried her; Blood Moon's shadow was stretched over to the shade cast by her own library and two of his serpents were swaying at attention next to their master. "Boys" they stopped swaying slightly and turned their…mouths to Blood Moon. "Sic 'em." The two lunged for her and snapped their jaws in her direction, eager for a bite of her. The mare they were hungry for screamed, turned and tried to escape but the two were already on her, she spun again and attempted to fight back, her weak and panicked spells just bouncing off their darkly scaled hides. When they got within a meter she panicked and locked up, her eyes squeezed shut and put her fore-hooves over her head.

Nothing came, except the sound of hooves on ground.

"Now do you see why movement is so important?" The mare opened her eyes to see the dark stallion stood over her. Her leaned down and put a hoof under her fore-leg. "Come on, up you get" he tells her as he lifts her to her hooves. As he lifts her she loses her balance, apparently weary from their exercises, and falls into him. With him holding her up, the assassin gives a sigh. "Well, isn't this the most cliché of romantic positions." Twilight blinked and got up off of him, blushing slightly. "Ok, ah'm ah giving it to ya straight: you have no grace, no syncretisation with other ponies and fighting is off the roster for you until we can do something about it." Twilight glared at him.

"Where does hoofwork come into that fight" she demanded.

"For one, that wasn't a fight, it was hardly a spar. For two, hoofwork was quintessential, think about it; the only time you moved was when you teleported, impressive by the way, and when you tried to get away from my serpents." Twilight gave a hearty sight.

"Alright" she conceded "I get it, hoofwork" she repeated, probably putting the information away for future reference. "What do you suggest to help me with it?" Blood Moon put a hoof to his chin and thought about it for a second, his expression brightening when he came to a conclusion.

"I got an idea, something to improve your grace, syncretisation and movement fluidity." Twilight perked up and looked right at him.

"What" she asked eagerly.

---

"Dancing" she repeated, under the distinct impression the stallion was messing with her. It seemed, however, this was not so. Blood Moon hadn't told her his intentions at first, instead he had took her by the hoof and practically dragged her to the town hall, where they were now stood, he'd whipped off his coat and belt and was now stood at a phonograph putting a record in place and winding it up. "Are you serious?" He glanced over to her and smirked.

"Why wouldn't I be? The art of the dance involves grace, syncretisation with your partner, the ability to move fluidly and be able to change your movements rapidly without showing effort. And the added bonus is that I get to teach you how to dance properly." Twilight trotted over to the middle of the hall.

"And how do you know how to dance? You don't look the type." The assassin smirked.

"Nor do I look like a proper gentlecolt capable of proper etiquette; who has a deep understanding of pony psychology; knows how to, and is more than willing to, look after and be there for anypony; and is more capable in the bedroom than the author of the Ponysutra. In fact on the surface I look like nothing but a cut throat, however, you and I know I am much more than that."

"Maybe, but you still don't look like a good dancer" Twilight retorted. Blood Moon had gotten the phonograph going and some classical, unnameable waltz music began emitting from the speaker.

"And you don't look like you have a beautiful plot, but do I complain?" Twilight blinked a few times before a deep red blush grew on her face. "Now, do you know how to properly dance?" The lavender mare was still stunned by his casually made complement, and just stood with her mouth hung slightly agape and that blush still clinging to her face not saying anything. "I'll take that as a no then" he said with a sigh "here, lean your…Twilight are you listening?" She blinked herself awake from her stupor.

"Hmm, what? Oh yeah, of course I am."

"Then what did I just say?"

"Don't drink full fat milk" she tried.

"No, but you're right, don't, it's horrible for the girth." The mare blinked.

"Oh, ok."

"Either way, wake up I'm trying to teach you how to dance, ergo how to fight." Twilight nodded.

"Right, right I'm sorry it's just…nopony's ever complimented my flank before" she explained, a fresh blush on her cheek. The stallion frowned.

"Really?" He leaned and straightened so he could see her rear end, checking her out without shame. "Well, they don't know what they're missing then" he said with a shrug. Twilight couldn't help but gasp a little.

"I thought you said you are a pony of proper etiquette, how can you say that and so blatantly check me out like that."

"Correction, I said pony 'capable' of proper etiquette, I can and will turn it on and off at will, furthermore, why are you so bothered about it? You do know that somepony looking at you appreciatively, generally means they find you attractive."

"Yeah well that doesn't…wait what?"

"What?"

"You-you just said you find me attractive." The assassin frowned, genuinely confused.

"Yeah, of course I do, I mean look at you: perfect flank, beautiful slim body, great mane and tail, pretty eyes. And you're not just a pretty face; you have the personality and smarts to back it up." Twilight's face was now more red than magenta; she wasn't used to being showered with so many compliments, What really caught her off guard was the way he sounded so sincere, yet so laidback when he said it. There had been the odd stallion in Canterlot but back then she had been too wrapped up in her studies to care about them, even in Ponyville she had a few possible coltfriends but she never really had much interest in relationships, what with her friends keeping her company so she was never lonely and the whole elements of harmony thing had distracted her further. She noticed that she hadn't said anything for the last few minutes.

"How-how can you be so casual when you say that" she asked, still caught off guard by his words. The assassin shrugged.

"It's normally when you're lying you act out of sorts, when I speak the truth I act normally" he replied. "Are you done asking questions or shall we begin?" Twilight swallowed before she nodded. "Good" he said brightly "now, lean your neck into mine" she did so, still standing a little ridged "relax a little will you? I won't bite, well y'know, unless that other personality comes out and I tear the town apart in an undead rage." Twilight leaped back.

"What!?" Blood Moon raised a hoof defensively.

"Joke, joke" he assured. Twilight swallowed, still nervous, but moved back into him and leaned her neck against his, trying to loosen up. "Good, now, lean your weight into mine." She did so and the stallion felt little pressure against his neck muscles. "I said lean your weight, don't worry I can take it. I mean umm, no offence" he tired. Twilight shrugged in a silent laugh.

"Don't worry about it, but I am leaning into you." The assassin raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yeah" she confirmed.

"Wow, you're light."

"Or maybe you're just strong?" Blood Moon grunted a laugh, shaking his head at their 'banter.'

"How about a mixture of both" he asked, a smirk still on his face.

"Fair enough" Twilight replied.

"Alright, we'll do this slowly" he said "move with me" he instructed. She did and they began moving, turning around each other. "Move your hooves with mine" he whispered. Twilight picked up quickly.

"This isn't so bad" the mare murmured. The stallion grinned.

"That's good, if you said it was I may have to slap you. When I had to do this I was partnered with our trainer, he could dance, sure, but he was as big as a shed and a nightmare to drag around when I had to lead." Twilight giggled.

"So, how do I compare?" Blood Moon pulled the sides of his mouth down in thought.

"Well you're not as graceful as him but-lean down with me" he said as he dipped her. She went down gently, a slight smile on his face as she did, enjoying herself. "But the company, is far superior" he finished as he raised her

"Thank you…wait 'our trainer'?"

"Yeah, it wasn't just me at that facility; it was me, another stallion called Heartless and a mare called Rose Blood. None of us liked each other, they seemed to like me even less when I became immortal" he said with a smirk in his voice "I suppose it didn't help I was the only one there with a personality; I constantly made fun of Heartless and Rose Blood never liked my attempts to woo her…or maybe it was because I was the only stallion in Equestria who could make her blush" he told her, another smirk on his face.

"So, what happened to them?" The assassin sighed slightly.

"It was the final test for us all; they put us in a room and told us only one was coming out alive.

I'll let you figure out the rest for yourself." Twilight shuddered. "Sorry, I keep forgetting you're not as…well versed as I am, in my art."

"You call it art, I call it murder."

"You call her mentor, I call her the mare who made my life a misery." Twilight hummed.

"About that, why did you leave Celestia?" The assassin shrugged.

"You already know; aristocrats and nobles. I don't attend their soirées, I burn them down."

"Is that really, your only reason? I mean, Celestia and Luna were like your own daughters, how could you just abandon them?" The stallion narrowed his eyes, though the effect was lost on Twilight considering she couldn't see his face.

"I. Didn't. ABANDON. Them." Twilight was scared but didn't back down.

"So what did you do then?"

"They were grown up; they had a country to run. They didn't need me, nor did I want to get involved in it. Twilight Sparkle, do you know the nature of nobles." The mare shook her head. "Think the savageness of a manticor, the cunning of a python, the cowardice of a lone rat and the murderous nature of a dragon, all times by ten. That's the kind of noble Celestia deals with every day. I hardly think I have the right temperament for that, I'm pretty sure every noble to visit her would end up with a broken snout or neck within five minutes of being in my presences." Twilight giggled again, she'd met a few of the nobles in Canterlot and she hadn't taken much of a shine to them. "It wasn't me who put the whole of Equestria's resources on her tail. She turned on me." The record skipped and suddenly faster, slightly more husky music emitted for the phonograph. Blood Moon glanced over at it and shrugged, he straightened up. "Alright Twilight, now-"

"I know what to do" she told him with a triumphant smile on her face "I read all about this particular dance." The stallion grinned but raised a questioning eyebrow, to which Twilight blushed and coughed awkwardly. "Uhh, c-culture project, for Celestia" she told him. Blood Moon grunted.

"Culture project?"

"Yeah, the romantic society of Saddle Arabia. It was this or the Ponysutra" she told him. The assassin barked a laugh, his head going back.

"A good choice then" he chuckled before another smirk inducing thought entered his mind "Discord's antler, what I would have done to see her face when she read your report on the book of love" he grinned. Twilight smiled herself, a red blush lingering on her face.

"And extreme flexibility" she mumbled, rubbing her left hind-hoof up and down her right leg. She looked up to find the dark stallion looking back at her with half-lidded eyes, a raised eyebrow and an incredibly suave grin on his face.

"Anyway, the dance" he said in a low voice, bringing their conversation back to its point, though he didn't let his gaze leave Twilight's "I presume you know the rules then?" Leaving their prior subject, Twilight's confidence came back. Came back in the form of a half-lidded gaze of her own, a small lopsided grin and a step into the stallion's personal space. Not that he minded.

"Oh, I know them" she told him, putting a single dangerous inch between their smiling muzzles. "No contact."

"Always moving" he continued, stepping around Twilight, the mare moving, surprisingly elegantly, past him.

"Every movement must be-" The assassin put his hoof around the back of her neck, swinging her around and supporting her with one leg.

"Passionate" he finished, raising her.

"Elegant" she continued, her face brushing barely a centimetre past his.

"The closer the partners-"

"The more skilled the dancers are" she finished.

"As asides from dips and lifts-"

"The only contact allowed is the finale" she, once again, finished.

"I take the book said what that 'finale' is." Twilight's smile turned…the assassin took a double take…sultry?

"Of course, it is supposed to resemble the heat and passion of the dance" she answered "although, if contact is made throughout the dance, the stallion does not get his 'grand finale' dose he?" Blood Moon's own grin widened.

"Then I'll be sure not to touch you, hhihh." The mare was somewhat impressed by his fluent Arabic, though not exactly taken by surprise. They turned around each other, still barely a centimetre between them; Twilight couldn't help but get lost in his piercing gaze.

"Y'know, I've never been this close to a stallion before" she said, her voice huskier than usual. The assassin grinned; she was getting into it.

"Well, I'll be sure to make your first experience" he leaned in further, making sure not to touch her, and whispered into her ear "memorable." When he leaned back, a grin still on his face, he saw the new blush on Twilight's face; it was deeper and redder than usual and spread further over her face.

"Blood Moon…why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Make me blush so much?" The stallion smirked and shrugged.

"Let's be honest here, I'm not the best looking stallion, am I? I make up for it in personality, flawless charm and my ability" he leaned straight into her face, a millimetre between the tips of their noses "to make a mare blush." Twilight could feel her legs getting shaky.

"Oh my" she said breathlessly. The stallion backed up again as he moved around her; she kept her gaze on him but didn't move herself before she blinked and shook her head, pulling herself out of her stupor. She moved around the stallion as he did, matching his movements perfectly. She put the distance between them back to a single millimetre. The last few notes sounded.

"It's almost at the end Twilight" Blood Moon told her, knowing exactly what partners staying close in this dance meant.

"I know" she told him. The final note of the tune they danced to played and Twilight made her move, the move that was considered appropriate between two close standing partners in that dance. She closed the miniature distance between the two and pushed her lips to his. She couldn't ignore the small spark in her chest when she didn't feel him pull back, in fact he seemed more than happy to oblige and return her kiss. She felt him turn his head and push deeper into the kiss; she leaned back and sat on her haunches letting him lead the embrace. She didn't notice when she opened her mouth and his tongue entered. It felt weird at first, alien, but she grew to enjoy the sensation and returned the gesture. It was her first kiss but she could tell Blood Moon had far more experience than her, the way his tongue brushed so gently past her own was proof enough of that. Her tongue explored his mouth, enjoying every moment of it. It was possible his outward appearance was influencing her opinion, but she half expected his mouth to be scared as well. She couldn't help but notice he was being very gentle with her; he didn't push her at all and took his time with her, making sure she was comfortable. His tongue hit a sensitive spot in her mouth and she couldn't help but moan slightly into his maw, sending erotic vibration through the both of them. After a while the two parted, Twilight still a little light headed and Blood Moon thanking his old instructor for teaching him grace and syncretisation like that. Twilight was then hit with the backlash.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so-so, I'm sorry I-I just got caught up in the whole dance and the way you were speaking to me and-and." Blood Moon raised a confused eyebrow.

"What are you so sorry for?"

"I-I mean I kissed you and-"

"It's not like I pulled back."

"I know but-"

"Twilight, quit beating yourself up will you? It was sort of inevitable anyway, and if I'm honest, it wasn't bad."

"I know but…what?"

"The kiss, it was good, well performed and initiated, appropriately sexy. Not bad for a beginner, hay, it was pretty good for a veteran." Twilight looked down and blushed again, dragging her hoof along the floor.

"Thanks" she whispered a small smile on her face "but, would it be too much to ask to keep this between the two of us? No offence but I don't think anypony would really…approve of me kissing a known killer." Blood Mood raised a hoof to stop her.

"I understand Twilight, being an Element of Harmony I can understand you need to… keep up appearances."

"Thank you." She tried to look up at him again, but one look at his grinning face and she felt the blush coming back.

"I don't know if it's really necessary anymore, but I think your grace and movement ability has improved significantly." Twilight giggled again.

"Thank you" she repeated "but I think we should get back to the library." Blood Moon nodded, silently agreeing with her. He followed her to the door and pulled his belt and coat over to him with his magic. Belt and coat re-equipped, he turned his attention back to…

"Twilight, you're swaying your flank more aren't you?" She hung her head as she answered.

"Sorry, it just…seemed appropriate" she said sheepishly, no doubt blushing again, reverting back to her normal trotting fashion.

"I didn't say stop" he said as he increased his pace to bring himself next to her. Twilight giggled again and bumped him softly with her rear end. The assassin smirked and felt a heat run to his loins.

"Uhh, Blood Moon?" Said assassin hummed to show he was listening. The pair left the town hall as Ponyville was wrapping up for the day. "What…are we now?" Before he could answer Twilight gasped. "Sweet Celestia, Ditzy." He turned his head to her slowly.

"Twilight, I broke up with her a few days ago." Twilight blinked disbelieving.

"Oh, so you just bounce right onto me?" The assassin laughed.

"Bounce onto you?" He laughed at her choice of words. "No, I flirt a lot, just ask Rarity, I just happen to like you more and I also just happened to get into...that particular dance with you." Twilight scowled.

"What kind of reasoning is that? 'You like me more', do you think that makes it ok to just go from one mare to another? What kind of 'gentlecolt' are you?" The assassin narrowed his eyes.

"Twilight Sparkle, do not test my loyalty nor my compassion. Ditzy doo made the same mistake and we parted on bad terms. I never said I didn't care for her, but she made it clear she didn't trust me, THAT is why I left her. If we parted on any other terms I would likely have never even started that dance with you, never mind finish it the way we did. But we didn't part on different terms, so now I couldn't care less about her." Twilight looked down.

"That's mean."

"It's cold, brutal and heartless is what it is, but that's who I am" he replied. Twilight sighed.

"Y'know, you didn't answer my question" she pointed out. The stallion sighed.

"I…I won't lie. Ditzy did do one thing for me, she taught me not to rush a relationship."

"And then you let me kiss you."

"Hey, I'm not complaining, you're an Element of Harmony. I may be an immortal assassin but you are literally a part of Equestria, an important part at that, I may be gifted in my own way but I can safely say I'll never have that. Forgive me for being overly sappy but it's an honour to even be able to call you friend, never mind dating you." Twilight was half happy and half curious.

"So you're saying…you DO want to date me?" Blood Moon looked over to her.

"Yes, just… not yet" he answered. Twilight thought about it.

"Well I guess…I guess, thank you for at least putting effort into this" she said to him with a slight smile on her face. Blood Moon smiled back.

"You're welcome to it, hay, you deserve at least a stallion who'll look after you and put effort into a relationship, it may be me, it may not but it's what you deserve." Twilight's smile broadened.

"It occurs to me that I've gone from target to romantic interest" she said with a giggle. The assassin shrugged.

"You'd be surprised actually, more than once over history important political figures have made a husband or wife of an assassin. I'm not innocent of that crime myself, asides yourself, I've met a mare or three I wouldn't kill, and over time they grew on me. What can I say; I'm just a big ol' softie. Personally, I'd say it's a little cliché but all's fair in love and war as far as I'm concerned." Twilight shrugged.

"I'm not arguing" she agreed. They arrived at the library soon after, Twilight leading the way. They stepped inside to find it deserted, not even Spike was around. The mare turned to the stallion. "So, do you want to stay for a while?" Blood Moon looked outside to the sky.

"I would, I really would, but it looks like the Pegasi are cooking up a storm, nasty one at that." Twilight nodded, but wasn't happy about it.

"I'll see you then" she said, in way of farewell. He nodded without saying anything, and didn't resist as she leaned in and pecked him on the check. He gave a kind, lopsided smile as she backed away and he turned for the door. It was when he was about to step over the threshold when the thunder boomed overhead and rain fell from the sky like Neighagra had just spawned above them.

"Ah, buck" he cursed. Blood Moon's assassin sense tingled, warning him of a smug presence nearby. He turned to see Twilight stood behind him. "So, yeah, I'd love to stay for a while" he told her.

"Alright" she replied "but no funny business" she joked. He grunted a laugh.

"Thanks, really, for understanding." Twilight just smiled at him again. The two settled into the night peacefully; Twilight going over a history book and Blood Moon pointing out all the inaccuracies. She couldn't help but notice she had come to like the way he spoke, the way he spoke in such a scary way but was so calm and kind, almost reassuring. She also noticed the way she had budged closer to him as the night went on. At midnight (which had crept up on them) they decided to hit the hay.

As the assassin plopped into his bed, thinking about how the day had gone; from Mayor Mare and Feather Heart asking for his assistance about political matters; singing with Sweetie-Belle and potentially helping her find her special talent; helping Twilight with her fighting and, subsequently, her dancing; before going on to make out her. All and all, it had been a fairly eventful day, and it hit him from the left wing when he noticed just how much he'd done in a single day and where he'd ended up at the end of it. He lay with his eyes open, staring out of the open window at the night sky wondering how life would treat him in the days to come before, they fell to Twilight. He wondered what she was thinking about.

In her room, Twilight lay on her bed, a small smile on her face. She'd met Blood Moon under the worst of circumstances; her first experience with assassin had been watching him kill five rapists; then he'd helped her fight off the Changelings and made peace with her friends; working with Applejack, taking care of Pinkie Pie when she needed it most and helping her with her fighting skills (or perhaps thinking about it as him helping her with her dancing skills would be a better way to think about it). As she lay atop her sheets, Spike snoring next to her in his basket, she felt the need to share her experiences with her oldest and best friend.

Princess Celestia.

She trotted over to a desk with a quill and parchment resting on it and stool sat neatly behind it. She sat at her desk and took the quill in her magical grip.

Dear Princess Celestia

A few days ago, I met a stallion under some very unorthodox circumstances; he didn't strike me as a good stallion at first and I even thought he was here under disagreeable circumstances. But after a while, he started to show his true nature; caring, youthful, loyal and friendly. He's grown on both me and all my friends, even Ponyville as a whole. Perhaps when I fail to not judge a book by its cover, I should remember what he has taught me. I think what Blood Moon has taught me, is that friendship can come from the most unexpected of places.

Your ever faithful student

Twilight Sparkle.

The mare straightened up from her desk, happy with her letter. Then she heard Spike snore.

"Pony feathers" she muttered. She still hadn't mastered the spell to send letters herself, so she still relied on Spike to do it for her. She got off the stool and trotted over to him, nudging him awake. "Spike" she cooed. The young dragon stirred and moaned before his eyes opened slowly.

"What time is it" he asked with a yawn. Twilight smiled sheepishly.

"Twelve" she told him. The drake narrowed his eyes.

"Am or pm" he asked.

"Pm" she replied with the worst poker face you've ever seen. The dragon groaned and got up stiffly.

"Alright, what is it" he asked drowsily.

"I need you to send this to Princess Celestia" she explained to him. Spike sighed and took the rolled up letter in his claw. He blew hard through his nose in annoyance before he blew his signature green flame onto the parchment and watched the green ashes fly out of the window.

"Now can we please get some sleep" Spike begged of his big sister/mother.

"Sure Spike" she yawned "I think I need some sleep after everything today."

"What's with the look in your eye?"

"Huh?"

"You were looking at the wall like you wanted to go out on a date with it" his expression turned sly as he put two and two together "somepony's found their special somepony" he teased. Twilight's cheeks turned pink under the accusation.

"S-Spike, knock it off" she hissed. Spike complied after a few more sniggers before her jumped back into his basket, dreaming of gems and Rarity. For Twilight, she dreamed of a certain hooded stallion but, unlike the last time, the darkness didn't scare her.

---

Celestia put the letter down. She'd been just about to get into bed when a green flow of ash flew into her room through her open window. She couldn't help but smile at the prospect of hearing from her student. But when she'd read the letter, she was anything but happy at what she had to say.

Blood Moon.

The name echoed around her brain like a bell tolling in her skull. Blood Moon, who so long ago had abandoned her, like a father abandoning a child. Her eyes narrowed at the memory of her waking up and him not being there for her, Philomena was there in his place. She loved that bird but it was not enough for the way he betrayed her and Luna. She stood and summoned her guard captain, Shining Armour, using a spell only he and her knew for just such occasions. A bright flash later and the white furred and multi blued mane and tailed stallion was in her room. This would normally be seen as uncouth but considering the circumstances, neither cared.

"What is it Princess Celestia" the stallion asked, standing to attention. He could tell by the grave and enraged look on his boss's face this wasn't going to be good.

"I apologise for pulling you away from the Crystal Empire, but you must have the guards in Ponyville on the lookout. We have an assassin to take care of." Shining Armour frowned, but beyond that didn't lose face.

"An assassin?" Celestia nodded once.

"Yes Shining Armour, it seems my old foalsitter has resurfaced."