//------------------------------// // The Days Fly By // Story: Assassin's Creed: Friendship is Sacred // by iDeltaVelocity //------------------------------// Assassin’s Creed: Friendship is Sacred Chapter 7 Benoit needed to be extra careful with this. He wasn’t an expert with gunpowder, but he knew packing it into a flintlock pistol was dangerous. Unfortunately, they were in short supply of explosive experts due to continued assaults on Assassins and their contacts throughout the country, which meant he and the others were left scrambling to utilize what little knowledge they had. He often wondered how users and makers of devices as these were able to do this while under constant pressure. One wrong move would end with him blowing himself, and part of this cavern, to hell. Gabriel and Templar lackeys were probably waiting for any opening they could take advantage of. All he needed in order to complete this task without fail was focus and patience. From behind, Applejack approached him. She needed something keep her mind off from staying underground. Even though she and her friends were now safe to leave whenever they desired, there was really nothing her to do. Right now, she’d be in the marketplace back at Ponyville selling apples, a job she alternates with Big Mac on a regular basis. “What’cha do’n?” she asked. Benoit responded: “Something extremely dangerous that shouldn’t be attempted otherwise. I highly suggest you do not stand too close.” Applejack took heed of his warning and took a few steps back. Whatever the Assassin was doing, it did not seem like anything she wanted to mess with. “So,” he continued, nonchalantly. He wanted someone one to talk to, mainly to take his mind off possibly dying an explosive death, “How are you enjoying you stay in our little underground hideout?” “To tell you the truth, I don’t like very much. I usually get this feel’n whenever I stay underground for too long.” “I can relate,” the Assassin said, “I wasn’t too thrilled when the thought of going subterranean passed my mind, either, but since the main headquarters for the French branch is here in Paris, I understood necessity. I’d take living like a mole over being a walking target for the Templars.” He finished one of the pistols and went on to another. “That reminds me, we still have to get you to Italy undetected.” “You’re still worried about that? I thought you’d forgotten,” said Applejack. “It just slipped out minds. You and your friends are in good hands, and I’m sure your people are worried about one of the Elements being lost.” Applejack nodded. “Guess they should be. The Elements of Harmony have kept Equestria safe from harm for years. The last thing we want is for them to fall into the wrong hands.” “I’m sure,” Benoit acknowledged, “Just promise me one thing: when you do get back, make sure the Templars don’t gain a foothold in your government. Believe me, nothing is worse.” The farmpony-turned-human gave a playful salute. “You can count on us!” Benoit returned to filling gunpowder into the pistol, and Applejack noticed a few glass bottles set up next to him. She could see the labels; some of them were fine wines and others drinks like grape and cranberry juice. She reached for a bottle that seemed familiar, seeing the picture of an apple on the label. The top was still closed. “It’s still full,” she said, “You didn’t drink any of the cider I gave you.” “I kind of forgot it was still there,” replied Benoit, “Perhaps, maybe we can have a drink when—” The sound of footsteps echoed through the Bureau. Applejack and Benoit looked over at the entrance of the cavern as Volodya and Rainbow Dash, along with two other Assassins, approached them. It seemed that something urgent had come up, one that required their absolute attention. Benoit approached them, asking what had happened. In response, Volodya opened the small jewelry box in his hand, revealing a ring inside. It had a faint glow with streams of golden light protruding from parts of it. Benoit gazed at the artifact with disbelief. He was certain that it was dream. “Is that what I think it is?” “Da,” replied the Russian, “We finally retrieve the Ring of Eden.” Applejack and Rainbow looked on at the glowing artifact. For some reason, they couldn’t take their eyes off it. The Ring had a slight ‘feeling’ to it, one that they weren’t to describe, but for that brief moment, they felt a desire to keep it all to themselves. Benoit, on the other hand, looked up at his comrades. “How…? How did—?” “We waited for the right time,” said one of the Assassins, “It took days before we could make our move. We lost Catherine in the process, though.” A moment of silence took the area. Benoit nodded. “I see. At least we know her sacrifice is not in vain.” He took the box and closed it—Applejack and Rainbow returned their attentions to the Assassins in front of them, both failing to realise their sudden lust for the artifact. “What should we do with it?” asked Volodya. “I know some Hermenticist friends over western side of the city,” said Benoit, “They are more than trusted to help keep this safe.” Volodya nodded. It sounded like a plan. Now that the Templars lost a vital asset for their victory, he could see them beginning to lose influence over the country. Things were looking up for his French brothers and sisters. He could return to his home in Russia, knowing he helped make this possible. Rainbow and Applejack walked with each other for a bit, as Benoit made a leave from the cavern. “I’m happy for ‘em,” said Applejack. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder about the mysteries of the Ring of Eden. She and Rainbow were curious about it and the powers it might have held. The two were eventually approached by Twilight and Rarity. Twilight had been busy reading something in a book which was marked with mostly French words, and Rarity had changed her outfit, dying the colours to more fit her tastes. Her robes were a dark velvet colour with a blue sash fashioned around her waist. “What’cha got there, Twi?” asked Applejack. Twilight told her that she had been reading a language manual, trying to get a hang of speaking French. The concept was confusing to her, but she figured she could manage. Adeline had also offered her help on some occasions. Rarity spoke up: “Benoit seemed happy when he walked by us. What was in that small jewelry box he was holding?” “The Assassins managed get that Ring of Eden thing from the Templars,” replied Rainbow. “That’s wonderful news,” said Rarity, “Guess it seems all that hard work finally paid off for them.” “I’ll say, though I can’t help but wonder what exactly these Pieces of Eden are capable of.” Rainbow was still mulling over the Ring, still wondering what sort of power could come out of such a small artifact. “Benoit told me the Templars want to use them for control,” said Twilight, “If I had to guess, I say they’re very powerful, and the Element of Magic is just adding more fuel to the fire.” Applejack agreed. Even though this would not be a permanent solution since she figured the Templars would grow more desperate as time passed, especially with the Ring out of their possession, keeping hidden was the best thing they could do as of now. The remaining five Elements of Harmony were locked in a box at the Canterlot castle and kept under constant watch. Occasionally, they would be checked on to see if anything else happened. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had really caught their attention. It was a still a mystery how they lost control over the Element of Magic, and where it took the girls in the process. At first they believed they were in another part of the world, possibly somewhere in Saddle Arabia or with the Griffons, but now they saw their assumptions were wrong. Twilight and her friends were just completely gone, without so much as a single trace left behind. Celestia, with Spike hitching a ride on her back, approached the room where the rest of the Elements were being stored, which had two Royal guards standing on either side of it. “Has anything happened yet?” “Afraid not, Princess,” said one of the guards, “It’s been silent ever since you brought them back to the castle.” It was not exactly understandable how that could be. Together, the Princess and Spike entered the room. The Elements were contained in a small box set out on a pedestal at the end. Celestia opened it, staring down at the five artifacts. In all the years the Elements of Harmony have existed, they never exhibited such strange and unbeknownst powers. “I don’t get it,” said Spike, scratching his head, “How come they aren’t working this time? Are they broken?” He had continually wondered what happened to Twilight and the others, where they were, and how they were faring in whatever situation they were in. Princess Celestia shook her head. “The Elements of Harmony don’t ‘break’, but it is strange how this happened in the first place.” She levitated one of them in front of her eyes, examining every inch of it. It was a complete mystery. Suddenly, the magic enveloping around the Element disappeared—or, instead it was forcefully cast away. Celestia could feel it. It didn’t seem like anything from this world; in fact, it almost seemed like it was an otherworldly power. It stopped any and all tries to bring it back under her control, and she even felt her energy being drained with each attempt she tried. Spike recognised the situation. It was like the same as what happened to Twilight before she and the others disappeared. But instead of sharing the same fate, there came a god-like voice echoing throughout the room: “To discover what happened to those closest to you, I shall provide.” Streams of golden light emitted from the five Elements, nearly blinding Celestia and Spike. They shielded their eyes as everything around them disappeared, and soon they found themselves standing in what was supposed to be a library. The shelves were lined with old books, and judging by the crude stone ceiling above them, they had to be underground. “Where are we?” asked Spike, “Doesn’t look like we’re still in the castle.” They noticed a figure sitting in a chair in the same room. It was holding a small wooden object, which bared a steel barrel and wooden handle, looking at it with bemusement. They couldn’t determine who or what it was; they hadn’t seen this type of creature back in Equestria. Spike wondered how it didn't notice them. Nevertheless, Celestia stepped forward. Whatever it was, she knew she wouldn’t get answers by just standing around. Hopefully the creature was nice, and if not, she’d have a chance to defend herself. “Excuse me…” she held out her hoof, “Sorry to intrude, I guess, but do you mind telling us where—” She immediately drew her arm back after it went through its body. Spike was just as freaked out as she waved a hoof in front of its face. “Yep,” said Spike, “We are definitely not in Canterlot anymore.” “It doesn’t seem we’re in this world, either,” said Celestia. She tried to grasp onto the situation. Now wasn’t the time to panic with what they were faced with. That strange voice told them it would show what happened to the six missing ponies, so this must have been a clue as to where they might have been. The figure in front of them continued to examine the object in its hands. “How do humans manage to build these things?” Spike noted that it was a female from its voice, but he also noticed that it sounded familiar. Another human walked into the library, and immediately the one sitting in the chair looked up. “Miss Applejack, do you have the time?” Celestia and Spike had been taken off-guard, left with shock looks on their face. They could not believe the one in front of them was Applejack. “Sure thing, Benoit. And like I said before, you don’t have to go ‘round call’n me ‘Miss’ all the time. Jus’ call me Applejack.” She stood, setting the object down on the shelf behind her. “Highly suggest you don't hold that pistol unless you know how to use it.” “I’m wondering what that stuff you put in it was.” “Gunpowder; highly sensitive, highly explosive. It’s not something to just mess with without consequences. Anyway, if you could, I’d like to talk to you and Miss Fluttershy about something.” Applejack nodded and left the room with the other human, and once they did, another bright light enveloped Celestia and Spike again. When it subsided, they found themselves back in Canterlot. The Elements of Harmony lay neatly in the storage box on the pedestal in front of them, like they hadn’t been touch. “That… could not have been Applejack,” said Spike, though as much as Princess Celestia couldn’t believe, the evidence had been shown right in front of her, clear as day. “At least we know where they are,” she said, “It’s nice to know they’re okay.” “That guy,” Spike continued, “Benoit-or-something, he mentioned Fluttershy. If she’s there, then the others are, too, right?” “I sure hope so.” Celestia went over the situation in her head. “We know where they’re located now and that they’re all right. Now all we have to do is find a way to bring them back.” She looked down at the Elements of Harmony, still very much confused over how it’d easily cast away her magic. “Whatever power they have doesn’t seem to originate from our world. It has to be something else.” “What do you think it was?” Celestia tried to search through her mind for an answer, but came with nothing. “If only I knew.” The French countryside somewhat reminded Applejack of Sweet Apple Acres. It was mostly due to the wide open spaces in the fields where she usually frolicked when she was younger. She was out here with Fluttershy, the two donned in their Assassin attire and equipped with swords for self-defense, though they hoped to Celestia they wouldn’t have to use them. It was pure luck they managed to reach this place without any guards or informants recognising them. They came across a small cottage out in the open, and in the distance, Applejack noticed an elderly man sitting in a wooden chair, just basking in the morning sun. She glanced over at Fluttershy. “That must be him.” Earlier they’d been told by Benoit to meet with this man. Whoever he was, the Assassins emphasized his importance. She motioned the timid girl to follow. The man opened his eyes and looked up as they approached him. “Bonjoir,” he greeted them, “Can I help you?” “Are you René?” asked Fluttershy. The man nodded. “I am. May I ask why you’re here?” “The Assassins told us to come meet you,” said Applejack. René nodded, smile appearing on his face. “Assassins, eh?” It’d been a long while since he heard them. He and the Assassin Order maintained a good relationship since they last encountered, though it was unexpected that they sent two of their own to meet him. Judging by their robes, he determined that they were recruits rather than skilled operatives. He invited them into his home. The inside was cozy with paintings and artifacts gracing the room. René sat down another chair and glanced over at the two girls standing in the middle of the room. Another person soon entered; it was a young man. “Here you are, father,” he said, handing René a small cup of tea. René nodded to him as he left and turned his attention back to Fluttershy and Applejack. “So, what is it the Assassins sent you here for?” “We were told that you used to fight as an archer in the French military,” replied Applejack. “One of the best in the army,” said René, “I even still have my bow.” He pointed over towards a wooden bow hanging on a nearby wall. “That thing has saved my life on more than one occasion, when I was left wandering aimlessly through the Italian countryside.” “That’s a… nice story,” said Fluttershy. René took a sip of his tea. “So you two have come here to learn archery on behalf of the Assassins?” They nodded. The old man regarded it. He hadn’t the chance to use his bow in years; he would’ve considered himself a tad rusty. Nevertheless, when it came to the Assassins, he couldn’t say no. “All righty, then, I’ll help you two learn the skills.” “Really?” Applejack responded, “Just like that?” “How else do you expect me to respond, Madame?” René stood and walked over to retrieve his bow. “Besides, I have friends still fighting with the Assassin Order, and so I find it difficult to turn down those who fight for such a noble cause.” He motioned them to follow and led them out into the backyard. It was a massive fenced area. A small garden was laid out in front of them; to their left were a few chopped up pieces of tree bark lying on the ground and to their right were bull’s-eyes nailed to wooden planks sticking out of the ground. The setup was a personal training spot where René used to develop his archery skills. Now that he barely picked up his bow nowadays, it just sat there at mercy to the elements. “Here…” he tossed his bow to Applejack, “I’m heading inside to fetch some arrows to use. Take a look around if you like.” They waited as René headed inside his cottage. The soothing environment, away from the guards and the constant feeling of being watched, was relaxing for them after what they had been forced to go through. A few blue birds flew overhead. “This place is so peaceful,” said Fluttershy. “I know,” Applejack agreed, “Reminds me of home.” “Do you think we’ll ever get back?” “O’course we will. We jus’ gotta figure out how these dang Pieces of Eden work, first, and then we’ll have a better chance of understand’n what went wrong with the Element.” “Was there anything else the Assassins told us?” “Only stuff we already know,” said Applejack, “Although…” “What?” “Yesterday, Volodya told me someth’n ‘bout a ‘First Civilization’.” Before she could go into detail of the conversation, René returned outside with a quiver filled with arrows. He tossed one to Applejack. “I can tell you two have never fired a shot before, so let me warn you,” he started off, “This stuff is dangerous when not handled properly. You can easily main or kill anyone within your line of sight, so it’s best to use it when you have a clear shot to hit a target.” The talk of killing someone was not something the girls wanted to hear, but they had to ignore to keep up the disguise. Applejack handed over the bow; René got it ready, placing the arrow in position as he aimed at one of the bull’s-eyes. After reeling it back, he let go. The arrow sailed through the air, hitting just below the middle of the bull’s-eye’s target. Applejack and Fluttershy stared with a mix of awe and amazement. “I’m a bit rusty,” said René, “I haven’t trained with my bow in seven years.” “Still a great shot,” replied Applejack. She was handed the bow again, along with an arrow, and directed by the old man to go ahead. She tried to imitate what was shown to her, setting the arrow up in the bow. It was difficult. Unicorn guards in Equestria were normally the ones who operated bows and arrows and crossbows with their magic. The entire concept of using a bow and arrow was alien to her. She inadvertently dropped it the first time for not holding it right in her hands, something she still wasn’t used to despite being a human for the past couple of weeks. René showed them firsthand out to hold it, grabbing the end of the arrow in between his index and middle fingers. “You have to get a firm grip on it, otherwise it won’t launch correctly,” he told them, “That’s what gets people injured.” Applejack took the bow in her hands again, doing exactly how he did it. She used her index and middle fingers to grasp the arrow and pulled it back. She closed an eye and she aimed, and once she was sure of a decent shot, she let go. Her arrow hit the target, but two lines below René’s. “That’s good,” the old archer said, “I can see a lot of potential in you.” He turned his attention to Fluttershy, handing her the bow and an arrow. “Just do exactly as your friend did.” Fluttershy grasped the arrow and aimed, reeling it and the bow string back. She wanted to try and hit as near to the center as she could, but ended up losing her grip and dropping it to the ground. She needed to keep a grip on it; trying again, she pulled back the arrow and let go, letting it sail. She missed. The arrow had flown past the targets setups, instead hitting the grass outside the fence. “Well at least you can shoot far,” said René, “We’ll work on it.” He went over and retrieved the three arrows from the planks. “Listen; you need to think of the bow as more than just a regular tool.” He walked over to them, taking the bow back in his hands. “When becoming an archer, the bow and the arrows you carry are the things that can and will decide the fates of everything around you—from the life of one person to the death of another. You cannot lose focus.” “You’re put’n an awful lot of pressure on us, René,” said Applejack. “I understand, and I’m sorry. In truth, it wasn’t easy the first few times. But you need to realise that everything I did over the years, especially during my time in the war, was out of necessity, not desire. I had to do whatever I could in order to keep myself safe. I won’t lie, though. You’ll be faced tough situations often since you’re actively fighting the Templars.” “Guess that had to be expected from ‘em. Benoit and Volodya told us they pretty much run the entire country.” René replied as his expression became grimmer. “Much more than just France, mon ami, but Italy, the British Empire, Portugal; hell, our brothers and sisters in China and Japan have almost all been completely annihilated!” Applejack glanced at him. “Brothers? Sisters?” She knew only Assassins referred to their comrades by these words. “You’re an Assassin, too, aren’t you?” René replied, “Was an Assassin. I parted with the Creed almost ten years ago.” “Why’d you leave?” “I’d rather not dwell it.” The events concerning his departure from the Assassins were something René had no desire to remember. He believed that it was better to forget it, hoping that whatever pain he felt would simply vanish. Regardless, of how hard he tried, though, he always seemed to be reminded of in one form or another. “Just be careful in your journey. As you may already know, the Pieces of Eden are powerful artifacts. At the same time, with unlimited power such as this in your hands, it’s easily to become corrupted by the influence they carry.” Applejack and Fluttershy acknowledged him and his words. Though they had a new desire to know what was bothering the former Assassin, they knew it would not be right to keep pressing him about it, especially since it was something that he wanted to forget. Whatever the case may have been, it was better to keep from mentioning it any further. The rest of their training continued without a hitch. They would still need a lot of work, René figured, since it seemed like they hadn’t held a weapon their entire lives. He just hoped they would have the necessary willpower to continue when they had to face their first Templar. There wasn’t much difficultly for Volodya when jumping onto the balcony. In his youth, he went through daily training, which included developing his evasion skills such as this. Leaping off a stack of crates, he grabbed onto the ledge and pulled himself up. “Think you can try?” he asked, looking down at Rainbow Dash. “I think so. Doesn’t look hard,” was her reply. Ever since her race with Volodya, she had been trying with his help to learn how to climb onto rooftops. Like he said, it was a useful when avoiding the guards, something she could utilize if she was ever caught. “It’s much harder than it looks, my friend. You’re fast, so getting a good running start should be a piece of cake for you. Let’s see what you’ve got.” Rainbow Dash exhaled. She looked at the crates in front of her. She needed to do what Volodya had done: just run, jump, and then grab onto the ledge once she was close enough. The Russian was waiting for her on the balcony, arms crossed as he observed. Eventually after a few minutes, Rainbow made a sprint for the crates. She ran as fast as her legs could possibly take her. She stepped onto the first crate, and then the other, and made a jump for the balcony, holding her arm out to make a grab for it. She missed entirely, instead hitting face-first into the wall right underneath. She winced in pain on the ground, holding her forehead. “Are you okay?” she heard Volodya call from above. “You’re not bleeding, are you?” She held her hand in front of her face, seeing no blood. “I’m good. Just in a lot of pain.” Volodya jumped down. “Maybe we should take a break until you’re better.” He helped her up and noticed a big bruise on her head, obviously caused when she hit her face on the wall. “How’d you manage to get up there?” asked Rainbow. “Simple: I got a running start, jumped off the crates, and grabbed onto the ledge once I was close enough. Perhaps your jump isn’t as strong as we’d hoped.” “Think we can try it again?” Volodya decided against it. “Not until you’re checked on by a medic. It wouldn’t be wise to continue training when faced with a possible concussion.” Despite wanting to give it another go, Rainbow knew he was right. She wouldn’t get anywhere under threat of an injury. She’d learned this plenty of times before, especially after flying. “I… guess you’re right.” “Don’t worry, though. You and your friends still have much to learn. Once the medic clears you, we can continue.” Rainbow Dash gave a nod. The moment the medic said she was all right, though, she’d be back to training on climbing rooftops. Volodya could bet on that.