• Published 27th Aug 2012
  • 14,192 Views, 1,034 Comments

Live by the Creed - FoughtDragon01



Rainbow Dash discovers a dark secret in her family's past that could change her life forever.

  • ...
32
 1,034
 14,192

6: Arrogance Begets Failure

Shadow Streak’s eyes creaked open as the morning sun beamed into the bureau. It was the day of Buckeye’s assassination, but the time of the event was still some time away. Judging by the position of the sun, noon wasn’t for another two hours, leaving her plenty of time to prepare, both physically and mentally.

Shadow stepped back out into the main room, finding her stallion colleague still behind the store counter. A small smile found its way onto his face as he saw the black mare. “Slept well, I assume?”

Shadow stretched her limbs as she breathed a heavy yawn. “It seems that way. It was hardly luxurious, though I suppose that you take what you can get.”

The stallion only let out a playful snort. “Goodness, it is true. Everypony is becoming a critic.” A short chuckle left his muzzle. “You can find your things in that trunk,” he said, pointing Shadow over to the nearby box off in the far corner of the store.

“Excellent.” Shadow wasted no time in approaching the trunk. Upon popping it open, a small smile of her own cracked onto her face as she looked over the things that essentially made up the other half of her being. Her robes lay neatly folded at the bottom, with her weapons, bits, and other items stacked nicely on top.

“As I recall, this Buckeye’s final day in this life, yes?” the stallion asked as Shadow took her robes out of the trunk.

Slipping it on was practically second nature to the mare. It had to be one of the few things that she was more familiar with than handling a weapon. It was only a simple matter slipping it over her head and fastening the occasional buckle here and there to hold the folds. She didn’t even register the stallion’s words until she was fully in what was essentially her second layer of skin. “Hmm? Oh, yes, of course. In a mere two hours, Equestria will no longer have to worry about that scourge.”

The stallion only nodded. “I see. Well, I suppose your confidence is warranted.”

“And why would it be otherwise?” Shadow asked, placing her bits within the depths of her robes.

Hesitation was clear on the stallion’s face as he breathed a sigh. “All I will say is this: You are an excellent warrior, Shadow Streak, but please, be mindful of your arrogance. It carries the risk of being your downfall.” Looking back up at the mare, he wasn’t surprised to see a scowl on her face.

“I appreciate the concern,” she said, disdain behind her voice, “but it is unnecessary. Now, if you will excuse me, I must prepare myself.”

“Shadow, underestimating the enemy has led to many untimely deaths within our Brotherhood, all of them just as skilled as you were, including your—”

“That is enough!” Shadow snapped. “If you wish for our relationship to remain a healthy one, you will mind your tongue.”

The stallion wisely chose not to press the matter further. “Very well. If you insist. I will leave you to yourself.” With that, the stallion walked off, disappearing into the back room.

Finally left alone, Shadow took the time to check her gear. The majority of her time was counting and recounting her throwing knives, sharpening her dagger, and making sure her hidden blade was in working order.

When she felt all of her equipment was up to par, she still had around an hour left. With that in mind, she sat in the corner and meditated. It was important that she was both physically and mentally prepared for the task, lest she hesitated and allowed her target to escape.

As the minutes passed by, her mind slowly became less like the wild maelstrom that it usually was and more like a tranquil pond. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing else around her. She was completely, and utterly alone. And she loved it. Everything was crystal clear to her, from feeling the incense smoke brushing past her coat, to hearing the light chatter of ponies outside. But most importantly, her mind was completely clear. She envisioned her plan, playing it out in her head in painstaking detail:

She remained out of sight on Manehattan's roofs, staying as low as possible on the cold stone. She was right next to the east gate. She was in position, all she needed to do was wait. And wait she did. Whether it was for minutes or for hours didn't matter. Patience was always key, and it always paid off. This time was no different.

Soon enough, she could hear the rhythmic marching of an approaching battalion. Eventually, she saw them: guards clad in gleaming armor marching down the narrow street towards the gate. Shadow's eyes lit up once she saw the stallion leading the pack. Buckeye. This was her chance. She couldn't afford any mistakes now.

As the guards grew closer, oblivious to Shadow's presence, the mare readied her hidden blade. She just needed to wait for the precise moment. Buckeye was still a few hundred meters away. Then he was only a few meters away. Then a few yards. A few feet. Soon enough, he was right underneath her. This was it!

Shadow leapt from the roof, going in for the kill. The guards cried out in shock as they saw her descend from the sky like an angel of death, but it was far too late. Buckeye never even saw her coming. By the time he knew of her existence, Shadow had already tackled him, pinning him to the ground. She wasted no more time. Raising her blade, she aimed it right towards his exposed neck. She brought it down fast and hard, driving it deeply into--

"Help!"

Shadow's eyes snapped open as she was torn away from her thoughts. Were her ears playing tricks on her or did she hear a mare calling for help? She looked towards the bureau's entrance, straining her ears as she tried to hear anything else.

"Somepony, please help me!"

The mare shot up to her hooves. There was another pony crying for help. Shadow made her way towards the entrance, but stopped in her tracks. What of the mission? She couldn't just go off on a tangent, not when she had a mission to do. She couldn’t allow herself to be so easily distracted.

At the same time, though, she couldn’t just ignore this. She joined the Assassins in order to help ponies live better lives in whatever way she could. The sick and poor were one thing; they required attention that Shadow didn’t have time to provide, but things like this—the little things— could be prevented. Not only that, but the east gate wasn't even that far away; she could afford a quick detour to save another pony's life. With that in mind, Shadow sped out of the bureau.

----

Back out in the Manehattan streets again, Shadow darted through the crowds, dodging and weaving by passerby after passerby. Just as she had expected, the east gate was very close, no more than two minutes from her position. As for the mare's cries, Shadow traced them down to an alley not very far away. She didn't waste any time, and galloped towards it.

Shadow ran into the alley where the screams originated. There, she saw a pegasus resting against the wall, trembling like a leaf. Even though she was wearing a ragged shirt, Shadow could see her pink coat and yellow mane, as well as the butterflies adorning her flank. Despite the pegasus’ clear fear, she didn’t seem to be in any imminent danger. “What is it? Is something wrong?” Shadow asked, approaching the pegasus.

As she grew closer, the pegasus trembled even more. She seemed to be on the verge of tears. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m so sorry.”

Shadow backed away in confusion. “What do you mean by that?” It finally hit her. A victim crying for help, luring any would-be heroes to an isolated location, only to be found alone? Why didn’t she suspect it sooner? How could she have fallen for such a simple trap?

As expected, Shadow soon heard hoofbeats rapidly approaching from behind her. She didn’t even bother turning around; she leapt off to the side, barely avoiding the wild swipe of an earth pony’s knife. As soon as Shadow landed back on the ground, she darted towards her attacker, hidden blade at the ready. The thief barely had time to react before Shadow dug the blade deep into his chest. A sharp cry left the pegasus’ muzzle as she watched her comrade fall to the ground, blood seeping from the hole.

Two more thieves, both unicorns, came out of one of the alley’s various nooks, daggers levitated in front of them. Shadow was hardly daunted by her new challengers. She drew her dagger, holding it tightly in her mouth. Just by looking at them, she could tell that they were nervous. She could see the sweat dripping down their faces. She could see their weapons tremble in their magical grip. They knew that they didn’t stand a chance, not after what they saw happen to their friend. But were they smart enough to retreat?

The answer quickly proved to be no, as they both rushed Shadow, weapons ready to swing. The mare deftly avoided their mindless swipes before darting in, bringing her dagger across the throat of one unicorn, and burying it into the chest of the other. Just as quickly as it began, Shadow’s assailants lay dead before her.

That only left one.

The pegasus simply stared at the scene in pure shock as Shadow sheathed her dagger. When the mare turned to face her, she backed up against the wall, fearing for her life.

“You have ten seconds to explain why you deserve my mercy,” Shadow warned as she approached the pegasus. She was so struck with fear that it was a miracle that she didn’t faint. She just cowered against the wall, covering her head with her hooves as she mumbled more illegible apologies. That wasn't enough for Shadow, who was soon standing directly above her. The sobbing pegasus didn't dare look up. She expected her life to end any second now.

As Shadow raised her hoof, blade ready to strike her down, she stopped for a moment. Was this thief really worth the effort? Staring down at her, Shadow saw nothing but a blubbering pile of tears and snot. It was pitiful. Besides, she had larger matters at hand.

When the pegasus didn’t feel anything, she peeked up to see what was happening. To her shock and relief, Shadow had already left the alley.

----

“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” Shadow continued to berate herself for the rest of her trip to the east gate. How could she have allowed herself to fall for such a simple trick? On a mission, no less! She let her emotions get the best of her, and it wasted what little time she already had. That was unacceptable. Grey Mane would have her hide if he found out about such a mistake. Just as she was about to play out that pleasant scenario in her head, she heard a noise that made her heart skip a beat: the sound of a gate opening—no, closing!

“No, no, no!” Shadow kicked it into high gear and sprinted towards the gate, sticking to the rooftops. When she arrived, just as she feared, it was already closed. She could hear the convoy beyond the city walls, growing further away from the town. She missed her chance! Shadow quickly calmed herself down. This was simply an inconvenience. She hadn't failed the mission yet. She could still find another opportunity. She wasn't going to give up that easily.

She climbed the city walls before dropping down to the other side. There, she could see Buckeye’s convoy a few hundred meters ahead. Buffalo Bay was only a mile away. She needed to kill Buckeye before they reached it. But how would she get close without giving away her position? She followed closely behind while she formulated a plan.

----

The high grass of the surrounding fields made it easy for Shadow to close in on the convoy. Staying close to the ground, she was able to observe it without fear of being seen. Just as the schedule said, there were a total of twenty guards, each hauling a caged wagon, no doubt for the buffalo. However, she was unable to find Buckeye; all of the guards she saw were either unicorns or earth ponies. Perhaps he was at front, leading the guards to their destination. Shadow quickened her pace, being careful not to make too much noise.

Soon, she reached the front of the group. There, she found who she was looking for. He was a pegasus with a gleaming, white coat; a stark contrast from Shadow’s own pitch black fur. His mane was covered by a golden helmet, which went with the golden chest plate he was wearing. It certainly made him stand out from the other guards, who were wearing dull, grey armor. Shadow could also see a pair of wings adorning the pegasus’ flank. Without a shadow of a doubt, she knew that he was Buckeye.

Buckeye glanced back at his men. “Maintain your pace!” he ordered with a booming voice. “Buffalo Bay is only half a mile away. Keep on the look-out for any ambushers.” This wasn’t good. Shadow was running out of time. She needed to do something right now.

Retreating to the back of the group, she set her sights on the very last guard. In one, fluid motion, she sent one of her throwing knives flying right towards him. He never saw it coming. He only had a split-second to scream before the knife lodged itself his neck. That was enough to attract the attention of the entire convoy, including Buckeye. They all turned to face the dying guard as he fell to the ground, blood spurting from his neck. “It’s an ambush!” one guard shouted.

“Do not lose your focus!” Buckeye ordered. However, amidst the chaos, all eyes were off him, giving Shadow the perfect chance to strike. She darted out of the grass, sprinting towards her target.

However, before she could reach him, one of the guards caught a glimpse of her. “Captain, look out!”

Buckeye quickly turned around, only to find Shadow leaping towards him, her hidden blade out and ready to dig into his neck. He had no time to react; the hesitation from the shock alone gave Shadow enough time to finish him off. He couldn’t do a thing as Shadow closed in.

Just as she brought her blade down towards the pegasus, he dove off to the side, dodging it by mere inches. Shadow, her momentum going into nothing but air, crashed into the ground with a hard thud. As she got back on her feet, Buckeye took to the sky, hovering above her.

“So, the king finally decided to make the first move,” he declared. “Very well, then it’s time to begin.”

“Begin? Begin what?” Shadow demanded, eliciting a cackle from the pegasus.

“As if I’d tell the likes of you.” He motioned to his guards. “Kill this wretch!” With that, he sped back towards Manehattan.

Shadow swore under her breath as her target escaped. She was more concerned about how she was going to explain this to Grey Mane than she was about the fact that she was surrounded by nineteen armed guards. That was because she already knew how one of those scenarios was going to end.

----

Sparks flew as metal clashed with metal. Blood flew across the fields, staining the lush, green grass a deep red. Each swing of Shadow's dagger brought about another swift death.

Much like before, despite being a spectator, Rainbow Dash felt everything that Shadow felt. She knew everything that she knew. As Shadow dodged and deflected the various attacks from the guards, countering with fatal attacks of her own, Rainbow felt the speed, finesse, and skill required to pull it all off. She felt as though she were there, performing all of these intricate and fatal maneuvers herself.

But along with the adrenaline, there was something else there. Some sort of twisted pleasure that she derived from this hectic fight. She didn't like, but at the same time, loved it. She loved the thrill she felt, and that was something she couldn't deny. She only felt this sort of sensation whenever she was flying, but this practically took that same thrill and amplified it. But despite that, Rainbow still hated it. How could she enjoy something like this? It may have been a result of Shadow's own feelings affecting her way of thinking, but how much of it was simply that, and how much were Rainbow's own feelings? That was the question that itched in the back of her mind.

The battle raged on with a clear winner in mind. What had been nineteen guards soon turned to eighteen. Then seventeen. Then sixteen. Fifteen. Fourteen. Soon enough, only one guard remained.

The lone guard stood there, looking at his fallen comrades with wide, terrified eyes. All of his fellow troops lay before him, blood still seeping from slit throats or stab wounds. Twenty men, and he was the only one left. His eyes snapped back up to the one responsible. The mare before him, clad in white robes like some twisted harbinger of death, stood before him. She was calm, relaxed. Not a sign of fatigue. She simply stood there, unmoving, like a statue. She was waiting. Waiting for him to attack. No, he wasn't that stupid, that'd be suicide. He had a better chance running away. But what of his duty as a guard? What was more important? His life or his pride?

Shadow felt a smirk crawl onto her face when she saw the guard turn and gallop away. She could've killed him if she wanted to, but that wasn't the point. She looked around, seeing nothing but corpses and blood-stained fields. She let out a tired sigh. So much death and violence on this mission, and it all could've been avoided if she had just stayed on task. It was embarrassing how horribly things went.

Worse than that, her target escaped, an inexcusable mistake on her part. But despite her anger, she couldn't help but wonder what Buckeye meant by what he said. What was he planning, and what did the king have to do with it? Even though she really didn't want to, she needed to report this to Grey Mane. Something told her that this whole thing went deeper than she thought. Far deeper.

----

Come nightfall, Shadow found herself walking through the depths of the Everfree Forest. Its tall, thick trees blocked any and all forms of light from getting through, creating a darkness that was impossible to see through. All around her, she could hear the various growls and scurryings of the forest's various forms of wildlife, some harmless, most dangerous. Anypony in their right mind would go out of their way to avoid even getting near the forest, let alone going inside. The darkness combined with the forest's sheer size made getting lost incredibly easy, while also making getting out incredibly hard.

However, Shadow knew where she was going. As far as she could tell, there was a single path that led through the forest's thick groups of trees. This path in particular was one that Shadow knew as well as her own name. She knew where to go, and she knew how to get there, whether or not she was able to see.

Soon enough, she broke through the dark and foreboding trees and into a large, moonlit clearing. This was one of the few places in the Everfree where ponies were actually able to see. The moon stood high and proud in the sky, covering everything below in its embracing light. At the center of the clearing was what Shadow was looking for: a large, stone structure that she came to call the Everfree Palace. Her home.

At first glance, it seemed like an old, abandoned palace, while in reality, it served as the base of operations for her and her colleagues. There wasn't much activity, probably due to the time of night, but Shadow still suspected that there was one pony still awake, waiting for her. The thought made her feel uneasy, but she it was something that she needed to face.

After making her climb up its many stairs, Shadow found herself back inside the place she knew all too well. It always felt like she was returning home after a long vacation away, but everything always looked and felt the same when she returned. The stone still felt cold underneath her hooves. There was still a chilly, almost foreboding draft in the air. There were still piles of dust in the corners of the room that nopony bothered to clean up. The place simply felt the same. It was virtually void of all life as well, something else that Shadow grew used to. Higher ranked Assassins such as herself were most likely out on missions, while the younger ones were asleep in the upper levels.

There wasn’t much in terms of decorations to speak of, either. A few bookshelves containing historical records lined the walls. Red banners depicting the Assassins’ insignia hung from the walls. A rug with the same insignia lay in the very middle of the room. Beyond that, another set of stairs that led to the small study upstairs, where Grey Mane was waiting for her. Swallowing down her fear, Shadow made her way up the stairs.

As she neared the top, Grey Mane slowly came into view. Despite his name, his ruffled mane was not the only thing grey on him. His wrinkled coat had a lighter shade of grey as well, showing his age. Even his eyes and horn seemed to have greyed out, having a glossy sheen to them. His robes were longer and more designed than Shadow’s. They were also black, signifying his position as Grand Master of the Assassins. He may have seemed old and decrepit, but he had more skill and experience than all of his disciples put together.

Behind him was his desk, topped with multiple scrolls, quills, and ink pots, where he would write various messages to his acquaintances. Next to that were several coops that held the owls who would deliver these messages.

When Shadow reached the top, neither of them said a word. The mare looked at the ground, not daring to look in her master’s eyes, not after such a despicable failure. The most she could do was try to explain herself. “Master, I…”

“No,” Grey Mane interrupted. “I have already received a report detailing your mission. Or should I say your failure?” Shadow flinched at the last word. “What in all of Equestria were you thinking?” He may not have been yelling, but his voice slowly grew louder with every word he spoke.

“I’m sorry,” Shadow answered, keeping her eyes on the floor. “What happened was regrettable, but…”

“Not regrettable. Sloppy.” Shadow flinched again. “You let one measly pegasus get in the way of the mission.”

Shadow finally brought her head up, meeting her master’s eyes. “I thought she was in need of help.”

“And what did you find instead? Not a victim, but a thief. You put your emotions before the mission, and as a result, allowed Buckeye to escape.” He turned and approached the window overlooking the training grounds behind the castle. There, he saw several young Assassins, pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony alike, sparring with each other. “What disappoints me further is that your inability to control your emotions was the only reason why you failed. I expect such mistakes from the young bloods, but not you, Shadow. From you, I expect nothing but perfection. If your parents saw you now—”

“Do not bring them into this!” Shadow snapped.

The sudden outburst made Grey Mane magically unsheathe his dagger. In the blink of an eye, he had it up against Shadow’s unflinching neck. “Watch your tongue or I’ll have it cut from your mouth.”

Feeling the cold steel against her neck caused Shadow to calm down, but not by much. “My apologies, Master, but my parents have nothing to do with this. I would appreciate if we kept them out of this.” The dagger lingered at her neck for several more seconds before Grey Mane drew it back.

“You will leave this place, and you will not return until Buckeye is dead,” he instructed. That actually reminded Shadow of something else.

“Speaking of Buckeye, Master, right before he escaped, he said something about the king ‘making the first move’. I believe he thinks the king sent me to assassinate him. I fear he may be in danger as a result.”

Grey Mane, intrigued by the news, reconsidered what Shadow’s priorities should be. “Is that so?” He began pacing in front of Shadow again as he formed a plan in his head. Finally, he faced the mare “Shadow, you have a new assignment.”

“What needs to be done?”

Grey Mane sat at his desk and began to write a letter. “You will be going to Canterlot. If there truly is someone planning to attack King Neptune, then the entire Solar family may be in danger as well. We must prevent any harm from befalling them.” When he finished writing his letter, he tied it to the foot of one of his owls before letting it fly out of the window. “I want you to gather any information on this supposed plot and prevent it from happening. Another Assassin stationed there will be waiting for you.”

“And what of Buckeye?” Shadow asked, hoping she’d be able to redeem herself in that regard.

“If he is behind this, then you will inevitably run into him. When you do, do not let him escape, understood?" Shadow nodded. "Dismissed.” With that, Grey Mane bowed. Shadow bowed as well before leaving the palace.

Already, her mind was filling with questions. If there really was a plot to attack the Solar family, who could be behind it? It would have to be more complex than someone just barging in through the front door. There would have to be someone on the inside, someone feeding information to the outside. Shadow just had to find out who that ‘someone’ was. In the meantime, she needed to get to Canterlot as quickly as possible. It was one of those rare moments when she wished that she was a pegasus.

----

“That’s a ‘B’.”

“No, that is an ‘F’.”

“For goodness’ sake, Star Light! Take your mind out of the gutter. It’s very clearly a ‘B’!”

“Girls!”

Marigold and Star Light snapped their eyes up to their master as the stallion rubbed his temples, trying and failing to stave off a headache. Why wasn’t he surprised? Two of his best students, and they were arguing over a letter in a letter.

With time being a rather precious resource, they had all decided to gather in Star Light’s basement, it being the closest place available to them. Thankfully, Gran-Gran was always more than willing to welcome new guests into the house, even if she did have a problem getting their names right. “Fairydust! Would you like some more tea?”

A hoof found its way firmly on Marigold’s face as she let out a long, tired sigh. “N-no, Ms. Moonlight, I’m fine for now. And it’s ‘Marigold’, by the way.”

“Oh! Well, why didn’t you say so, Merrybloom? All of this time, I’ve been calling you by the wrong name.”

The yellow mare opened her mouth to correct the nearly deaf bat, but Star Light placed a hoof on her shoulder. “She’ll never get it right, you know?”

“She really won’t,” their master added in. “She’s been calling me ‘Piston’ for the past three years. Now, can we please focus on the letter? The note, not the one you two are arguing over?”

With a sigh, Star nodded. “Yes, of course.” Still, she couldn’t keep herself from shooting a sly glance at her yellow friend. “Can you do that as well, Fairydust?”

The mare threatened to burn a hole right into Star’s skull with the seething glare that she gave her.

Whether she didn’t notice or simply didn’t care, Star Light put her attention back on the letter. “Let’s see… ‘If it wouldn’t be of much inconvenience to you, dearest Rainbow, we found a lovely restaurant in Hoofignton called ‘The Bucking Palace’—okay, so it is a ‘b’—‘I think that would be a lovely place for us to enjoy ourselves. Perhaps we can meet there at around seven tomorrow night? Oh, we can’t wait to see you.’”

“So, The Bucking Palace is where they’ll be,” the stallion said.

“It seems that way.”

Star Light placed the letter on her desk. “Then I suppose it’s time we formulated a plan.”

The stallion nodded in agreement. “Yes. Now, if I’m still familiar with their tactics, then they will no doubt—”

“Starly! Have you seen my medication?”

The trio of ponies groaned in unison, Star Light most of all. “Gran-Gran, it’s in the top drawer where it has always been!”

“But I already looked in the bottom drawer!”

“No, you forgetful, old mare! The top! It’s in th-the top…” The pink unicorn finally yielded with a sigh. “Oh, for goodness’ sake.” She glanced back at her two friends. “Could you give me a moment?”

“Take your time,” her master replied.

As the unicorn trotted up the stairs, mumbling her grievances away, Marigold walked up to the stallion’s side. “Do you think that we should keep her involved with this? I mean, you know how she gets when it comes to Rainbow.”

The stallion sighed, taking the time to contemplate his answer. “It would be wise, but you also know how she can be when she’s left out of a mission such as this. She would just find another way to involve herself, no matter how reckless her methods may be.”

Marigold’s mouth curled into a frown. Star would never openly admit it, of course not, but she was growing more and more worried with each passing moment. Her changes in behavior, while not outrageously obvious, were still there. They were subtle things. Changes in tone, less energetic movement, an even more delicate temper than usual. She didn’t like to think about it, but Marigold just couldn’t help but worry for the unicorn. “I just don’t want her to get herself killed over this.”

The stallion, noticing the young mare’s worry, placed a hoof on her shoulder. “No, she’s too smart and stubborn to allow something like that to happen, though your worries are warranted. We’ll simply have to keep an eye on her for now.”

The two quickly hushed themselves as they heard Star trot back down the stairs, relief clear on her face. “Thank goodness that her medicine instantly puts her to sleep. She shouldn’t bother us again for another few hours.” She shot a wide smile at her two companions. “So, what shall we do now?”

Marigold and her master shared a quick, nervous side glance, one that Star Light didn’t miss.

“What?”

----

Shadow Streak’s journey to Canterlot wasn’t one that she particularly enjoyed. Not because of the distance; she could walk the several miles without taking a break. No, the problem was that the walk was painfully uneventful. It’s been such a long time since she’s been to Canterlot that she forgot how long and empty the walk actually was. She could see the city’s castle off in the distance, yes, but still had miles to go before she reached it. Bandits rarely ever came this far up the road, not wanting to attract the attention of the royal guard, so there weren't going to be any ambushes to liven things up. For the moment, Shadow only had the surrounding nature to help break the monotony.

Thankfully, the day’s weather was far different than it was during her stay in Manehattan. The clouds have long since cleared up, allowing the sun to shine down on the land underneath. Shadow felt the warm rays against her exposed coat; a breath of fresh air compared to chilly weather she usually had to walk through. To add to the beauty, she was walking through a brilliant field of colorful flowers. Every so often, she would stop and sniff some of them, taking in their various aromas. It was so calming, so gentle, and so…boring!

She knew that she shouldn't hope to be attacked, but she just wanted something to do besides walk and gawk at the environment like some little filly.

Suddenly, Shadow’s ears perked up as she heard something rustle through the field next to her. She let out a relieved sigh. “Finally.” She immediately drew her dagger and faced the source of the noise. As it grew closer, she became ready to strike. However, once her alleged assailant revealed itself to her, she just hung her head in disappointment. It was a bunny. Shadow just got worked up over a bunny.

She put her dagger back in its sheathe before snorting in frustration. She needed to take this more seriously. The king’s life was at stake, and she was busy starting fights with the local fauna. It may have been a boring journey, but that was hardly an excuse. Besides, it was pretty obvious that all the action would be at Canterlot, so that was even more reason to get there as soon as possible. Shadow got back on track, going into a trot to make up for lost time.

----

Hours later, Shadow finally saw the city’s gate off in the distance. It was a long journey, one that lasted well into the night, but she finally made it. The large, marble archway leading into the city was flanked on both sides by guards. As she approached the entrance, they immediately placed their spears in her path.

“State your business.”

With a roll of her eyes, Shadow dug into her robes, taking out a hefty bag of bits that she ‘liberated’ from a noble some time ago. She had a feeling that they’d come in handy one day, and she was right. She dropped the bag right at the guards’ hooves. Without any further provocation, they stepped aside, allowing Shadow into the city.

“Don’t cause any trouble.”

Shadow couldn’t help but smirk at that warning as she entered the city. Her cause trouble? What a ridiculous notion.

----

As Shadow walked through the city streets, she had to admit, it looked absolutely amazing. Manehattan looked even more like a slum when compared to Canterlot. Its diverse array of buildings, ranging from small to tall, from simple to extravagant, was overwhelming. She even saw a few inns that she would’ve loved to rest at. Even the few ponies she saw on the street at this hour were adorned in extravagant attire. Compared to Manehattan, she definitely seemed to blend in more, white robes and all.

Getting over her amazement of the place, she focused on the task at hand. Now that she was finally here, she needed to get her investigation underway. She soon came to a stop in an empty plaza as she put a plan together in her head.

Shadow already knew that Canterlot was a large place, with a large amount of ponies. Tracking down Buckeye and his conspirators could prove to be difficult. Thinking back to what Grey Mane told her, she remembered that there was supposed to be a contact somewhere in the city. Perhaps he would have a place for her to start. She just needed to find him.

Her planning was cut short when she heard hoofsteps coming her way. There was only one pony, but Shadow’s instincts still told her to hide. As the unknown pony grew closer, Shadow ducked into a nearby alley. From there, she'd be able to observe the plaza without fear of being spotted.

However, by the time she got into position, the hoofsteps stopped. Nopony entered the plaza. Strange. She could’ve sworn that she heard somepony approaching. It wasn't like they turned in a different direction; she'd have still been able to hear them. Perhaps that long walk to Canterlot was finally taking its toll on her senses. Well, since that was the case, she was just going to…

“Howdy.”

Shadow whipped around, spotting a pegasus behind her. She would’ve immediately gone on the offensive if it weren’t for one thing: he was dressed in Assassin robes. As opposed to her plain white, his were a dark red, but still similar in design. The most significant differences were the slits in his robes for his wings.

“Ah didn’t startle ya, did Ah?” he asked with a smirk.

Knowing that he was an ally, Shadow regained her composure. “Of course not.”

“Really? ‘Cause that ain’t what Ah saw.” Shadow’s stinging glare promptly made him change the subject. “Anyway, Ah was just flyin' around the city when Ah saw you show up. Since not many Assassins show up here, Ah figured you were the one Grey Mane wrote me about.”

Shadow just rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh. “Oh. So you’re my contact.”

“Yep. So let’s get straight to the formalities.” He stuck out a hoof. “Name’s Goat.”

Shadow simply cocked her head in confusion. “Goat?”

“Weird name, Ah know, but my folks sorta insisted on it. Said it was 'cause Ah came into the world crying like a baby goat.”

“That…makes sense, I suppose.” No, it didn’t. “Well, er, Goat, I’m Shadow Streak.” She shook Goat’s hoof.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Shadow. Now, what’s this ‘urgent business’ that Grey Mane was talkin' about?”

Shadow took a moment to look around her environment, just to ensure that no one was eavesdropping. “I have reason to believe that someone intends to attack the king and his family. Tell me, do you know anything that could relate to this?”

Goat took up a confident stance. “Way ahead o’ ya. Ah was trailing a few shady characters just before you got here, and ya know what Ah saw? Ah saw 'em go through a secret entrance hidden in an alley. Ah'd have followed 'em there and then, but still had t' what for you. If there was any secret plotting going on, Ah’d bet my right hooves that you’d find it in there.”

Shadow was inclined to agree. If there was ever a lead worth following, this was it. “Can you take me to it?”

“Of course Ah can." He turned around, ready to go further into the alley. He looked back at Shadow with another smirk. "Assumin’ you can keep up.” With that, Goat darted down the alley. Shadow just smiled. She loved the occasional challenge, and Goat certainly didn’t look like he’d disappoint. She chased after him down the alley.

----

She had to give Goat credit. For a pegasus, he was pretty fast on his legs, being able to keep a decent distance between her and him. Their little chase brought them through several of Canterlot’s plazas and wide, open streets. It was certainly a good thing that there was no one out on the streets at the time, otherwise they would’ve attracted far more attention than Shadow would’ve wanted.

Soon, Goat made a sharp turn into another alley, with Shadow following suit. After a few more twists and turns, they finally came to a stop at a dead-end.

“Well, this is the place.”

Looking around, Shadow didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. “Well, this entrance is certainly secret. Do you know how they opened it?”

Goat began rubbing his hoof along the various stone walls. “Ah didn’t get a clear view, but Ah’m sure they pressed down a bit o’ stone on one o’ these walls. We just gotta find the right one.”

“Right.” Shadow began scanning the walls as well. Every bit of every wall around them seemed perfectly normal, if not a bit cracked. It quickly became obvious that she wasn’t going to get anywhere like this. This called for a bit more effort on her part. She stopped for a moment, focusing her eyes on the wall before her.

“What in the hay are you doin' back there?” Goat asked, still searching the walls.

Shadow quickly shushed him as she kept her eyes on the wall. She slowly brought her eyes across it, noting every crack and chip in the stonework. Soon, she found something. One of the stones was slightly ajar from the rest. The difference was miniscule, but Shadow knew that it had to mean something.

“I think I finally found it,” she announced. Goat turned and saw her approaching the wall. She stopped in front of the loose bit of stone. Placing a hoof on it, she applied pressure. A smile appeared on her face when the stone slid further into the wall. The smile grew bigger when a piece of the ground next to them slid open, revealing their secret entrance.

Goat simply whistled in amazement. Not at the entrance, but at Shadow’s amazing observational skills. “Well, Ah’ll be. How’d you find it so fast?”

Shadow gave Goat a smirk of her own. “All you need is a good eye, and a bit of luck.”

“Ah’ll keep that in mind.” Goat and Shadow placed their attention back on the entrance. It revealed a dark set of stairs leading deep underground. If it weren’t for the torches mounted on the walls, it would be impossible to see. In all of Shadow’s years as an Assassin, she had never seen anything like it before. Where did it even lead? Shadow had expected a treacherous plot to be discussed in a secluded location, but this was just ridiculous.

“Well...I guess I’m going down there,” Shadow said, beginning her descent.

“Now, hold on just a second. Ah’m coming with ya.”

The sudden announcement made Shadow stop on the stairs. “I appreciate the help, Goat, but Grey Mane gave this mission to me.”

Goat just sighed. “Look, Shadow. Ah don’t know what Grey’s been teaching ya, but Ah grew up learning that Assassins stuck together. Even though he didn’t give me the mission directly, Ah feel obligated to make sure that you complete it.”

“You helped me find their secret entrance. I think that’s enough. I can handle this myself.” Shadow continued further down the stairs.

Goat just frowned. “You’re a recluse little pony, aren’t ya?”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Shadow muttered. Soon, she disappeared into the darkness.

----

As Shadow went further down the stairs, the air around her grew cold and musty. The stone beneath her hooves became damper and mossier with every step she took. By the time she reached the bottom, the smell of decay twisted her stomach in a knot. It didn't take long for Shadow to find out where the smell was coming from. She found herself in what looked like catacombs.

On both sides of her, dozens of mummified bodies stuck out of recesses in the walls. The flames from the torches covered everything in a flickering orange glow, only adding to the creepiness. Shadow almost expected some of these ponies to get up, but that would've be ridiculous. Right?

From the looks of it, the place hadn’t been used in quite some time. In fact, most ponies probably didn’t even know that it existed. It was the perfect place to hold a secret meeting. The various lit torches only further confirmed Shadow’s suspicions that someone was here. It may or may not have been Buckeye, but it was still worth investigating.

Continuing forward, Shadow kept her eyes and ears peeled for anything else that she could follow as a lead. It didn’t take very long for her to find one. On the loose dirt before her were several hoofprints, no doubt from whoever was down here. However, Shadow noticed something else. Amongst the various hoofprints were prints of a different kind. As opposed to the circular prints of a pony, these were more bird-like, having the feet split into three talons.

“A griffon?” Shadow muttered. Now she was really curious. As far as she knew, ponies and griffons rarely ever got along. Unless this griffon was a prisoner, what was it doing with a pony?

Shadow followed the trail all throughout the catacombs. They must’ve known where they were going; these catacombs split into multiple paths, most leading to dead-ends, but this trail was very concise, with no signs of anyone straying from the group. It didn’t really matter; it just made it easier for Shadow to follow it.

However, a complication soon came up when Shadow reached an iron gate. The trail went past it and down another set of stairs, but Shadow had no way of following it. They must've raised the gate behind them to keep from being followed. Shadow tried yanking on the bars, hoping that its old age had weakened it, but it wasn’t working. Those things were built to last. She eventually gave up with an aggravated swear. She needed to find another way around, if there even was another way.

Retracing her steps, Shadow kept an eye out for any alternative paths. At first, there didn't appear to be one, but she soon found one that led out into a dark, moonlit chamber. She crept towards the chamber, ready in case it was an ambush, but stopped when she reached the end of the corridor. When she looked down, her jaw dropped. It wasn’t a chamber, but a very large chasm.

Peering across the massive gap, Shadow could see another passage on the opposite side. But she had absolutely no chance of making such a jump. It looked like she'd have to find another way across. However, as she turned around, something caught her eye. Glinting in the torchlight was a handle embedded in the wall. It seemed to be in working condition, though Shadow questioned the thought of putting her mouth around it. She could see the dust and rust covering it. It was probably as old as these catacombs.

"Well, I have to do what I have to do." She let out a submissive sigh. "Even if I won't like it." Much to her disgust, she bit down on the handle’s leather grip, grimacing as she felt the dirt and taste of rust on her tongue. She strained as she slowly pulled it out of the wall until it stopped with a loud click.

Seconds later, something within the catacombs began rumbling. Shadow could even feel the vibrations as she searched around for the source of the noise. What exactly had she just done? She eventually got her answer when she looked back into the chasm. To her utter amazement, she saw several stone platforms sliding out of the walls, stopping at the center of the chasm. They were stepping stones to the other side.

The average pony may not have been able to make the jumps required to reach each platform, but Shadow should’ve possessed the strength needed. After she took a few steps back from the edge, she darted forward, leaping over to the first platform. She landed square in the center, managing to stop herself before she went over the edge. One down. Four to go.

Shadow leapt to the next platform. Two down. She leapt again. Three down. Then again. Four down, one to go.

"Okay. This isn't too bad."

The last jump was longer than the others, but Shadow felt that she could make it. Gathering up all of her strength, she leapt for it. Immediately, she realized that she was coming up short. She wasn't going to make it!

Her chest slammed into the cliff's edge, knocking all of the wind out of her. She frantically tried to dig her hooves into the stone as she slid over the edge. She managed to slow herself to a crawl, leaving her rear hooves dangling above the abyss below her. She tried to pull herself up, but couldn't get a good enough grip to do so. All the time, she was slowly sliding further and further over the edge. She had no way to save herself. This was it.

"Hold on!" Wait. That voice...

Goat suddenly landed in front of the dangling pony. He immediately bit down on Shadow's hood just as she lost her grip. Once he had a good grip, he slowly pulled Shadow back onto solid ground. "Whew! That was a close one, huh?"

Shadow stayed on the ground, trying to get over what had just happened. "You...you followed me?"

"Well, yeah! Ah stayed pretty far behind at first, but when Ah saw ya slippin' on that cliff, Ah kicked it into overdrive." He held out a hoof to help Shadow back up, one that she declined at first.

"But why? I told you not to follow me."

"And Ah said that Assassins stick together, and when Ah say something, you best believe that Ah mean it."

Shadow glared at the pegasus' stubbornness, but soon calmed down. She would've died had it not been for him. Perhaps Grey Mane was right; she really did let her emotions get in the way of missions. In this case, her own stubborn pride nearly got her killed.

She took Goat's hoof and got back on her feet. "Well, thanks. I guess."

"Don't mention it. Now, let's get--"

Goat was cut off when another rumbling sound filled the chasm. Turning around, the two saw that the platforms they used to cross the chasm were receding back into the walls, cutting off their way back.

"Well, looks like we can't go back now."

Goat was right. There was no handle that they could use to bring the platforms back, so they had no choice but to move forward. Shadow didn't even know if they were going to find their targets this way, but after what she had just been through, there was bound to be something worth finding. With a quick nod to Goat, she went further into the caverns, her companion following behind.

----

The two spent the next few minutes wandering through a network of dark, moist caves. It quickly became apparent that they were no longer in the catacombs, but Shadow couldn't help but feel that they were getting close to their destination. She just needed to keep walking. In the meantime, Goat decided to strike up a conversation to help pass the time.

"No, Goat. I don't know what Grey Mane does in his free time." Needless to say, Shadow wasn't in the mood for small talk.

"C'mon. He can't just spend all day standin' around all scary-like, can he?"

"Have you ever heard of meditation?"

"Pfft. That's just a fancy word for doin' a whole bunch o' nothin'."

Shadow's tolerance for her friend was reaching its peak. As grateful as she was that he saved her life, she just wanted to knock his teeth out whenever he opened his mouth. "Perhaps we should change the subject."

"Oh, okay...So, you said you're tailin' this Buckeye fella, right?"

"Yes?"

"You into 'im or somethin'?"

Shadow stopped dead in her tracks. "Okay, I have had enough of your--"

"Hey, Ah see somethin' up ahead!" Goat pointed directly in front of the two. When Shadow looked at where he was pointing, she saw that the path ahead opened up into another large chamber. However, there was firelight coming from this one. They may have finally gotten back on track.

Slowing down their pace, the two quietly approached the chamber, only to stop when they realized that there was a pretty long drop to the ground below. However, they were definitely onto something. A fire kept the chamber lit as two guards patrolled the area. Their armor looked strangely familiar to Shadow.

“Wait, those are Buckeye’s men,” she whispered.

“Buckeye, huh? Then we know he’s here.”

“From this point on, we’ll need to stay quiet. We don't know how close he could be.”

Goat gave the area before him one last lookover. “Ah don’t really see how we’re gonna get down there without alertin’ the guards.”

He had a point. If they leapt down, they’d make enough noise to attract the guards’ attention. That wouldn’t be a good thing. Shadow quickly scanned the area around her. Something right next to her caught her eye.

“Alright, Ah say we…What in the hay are ya doin’?” Goat saw Shadow pick up a rock. She shushed him before dropping it into the chamber below. It landed with a nice, loud thud, attracting the attention of the guards, just as she expected.

“Who goes there?” Swords drawn, the two ponies approached the source of the noise, stopping right beneath the two Assassins.

“What are you doing wandering around here, rock?” one of the guards asked. He even gave the rock a hard poke with his sword.

His companion rolled his eyes. “Enough fooling around.”

“Come on. We’ve been standing in the same spot for hours and found nothing but dust and a few rocks.”

“Buckeye will have us doing worse if he catches us like this.”

As the two bickered below, Shadow silently signaled Goat to take one of them out. Once he nodded in understanding, Shadow leapt down, landing on one of the guards before digging her blade into his neck.

“What the…?” That was all the other guard had time to say before Goat landed on him, following Shadow’s example. With the two guards dead, the Assassins stood back up, hidden blades retracting back into their bracers.

“Well, now. That wasn’t that bad. Nice thinkin’.”

Shadow shot him a smile. “Thanks. Now, let’s start…”

“Assassins!”

“Oh, horseapples.” The two looked back ahead of them. Another guard, this one having less armor than the others, walked into the chamber to investigate the small racket. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the two, the pure dread clear on his pale face. Without another word, he darted in the other direction, going deeper into the caverns.

“Get ‘im!”

Shadow didn’t even need the order, and bolted after the guard. If he got away, then the entire mission would be compromised. She wasn’t going to let that happen.

----

As Shadow chased after the guard, the environment went through another drastic change. After going through a destroyed portion of a wall, the two found themselves running through what appeared to be some giant, abandoned storage cellar. Dusty, rotting boxes of all kinds littered the room, forming a sort of obstacle course. The guard jumped over various boxes, cut to the side, did all sorts of different maneuvers, but Shadow was still able to maintain the distance between them.

That was what bothered the mare. She was maintaining distance, not closing it. This guard was just as fast and agile as she was, if not more so, and that irritated her to no end. For ever second that she wasted chasing him, he only grew closer to Buckeye.

Eventually, the guard abandoned the maze of boxes and darted into another corridor, Shadow following behind. However, just as he entered it, Shadow saw him buck a lever next to the corridor’s entrance. In an instant, a gate slammed down right in front of her face, blocking her path.

“You worthless featherbrain!” Shadow shouted at the escaping guard.

However, Shadow’s luck hadn’t run out just yet. Just as she was about to mercilessly berate herself, she saw a convenient stack of boxes leading up to a hole in the wall. Shadow didn’t question her luck for a second and darted up those boxes, leaping through the hole and to the other side.

She dropped into another corridor, coming to a soft landing right in front of her target. The two locked eyes for only a second. “Surprise.”

“Stay away from me!” He immediately took off in the other direction with Shadow right on his tail. They soon turned into a straightaway, and if Shadow thought the guard was fast before, she hadn’t seen anything yet.

As soon as that guard rounded the corner, he poured on the speed, galloping as fast as he could. He was actually gaining distance, and Shadow was going as fast as she could. In only a few seconds, he doubled the distance between them. He was going to get away at this rate.

“Enough of this!” Shadow, fed up with this chase, threw a throwing knife directly at the guard. He may have been able to outrun her, but he couldn’t outrun that. He screamed in blinding pain as the knife dug itself into one of his hind legs. With pain indescribable pain shooting through his leg, he collapsed onto the ground, allowing Shadow to close in and finish the job.

With the guard finally dead, Shadow took a much-needed rest. As she sat caught her breath, Goat arrived a few moments later.

“Alright, ya got ‘im!”

Shadow just sat there, taking in deep, heavy breaths. She barely had enough breath to stay conscious let alone speak.

“Uh, you alright?”

“I’m fine. Just… give me a moment.” Shadow soon regained enough of her breath to continue onward. “If this idiot really was trying to reach Buckeye, then he shouldn’t be much further ahead. Let’s go.”

The two continued down the corridor. After a chase like that, Shadow knew that she was getting close. She could feel it.

----

Whatever hopes Shadow had about finding Buckeye were quickly washed away when the two came to another dead-end. There were literally no other doors on the way to that point, so it wasn’t like they missed some hidden path. It looked like the only other way to go was in the opposite direction; perhaps they’d find something there instead, but that'd waste too much time.

“But I don’t understand. Why have this part of the corridor at all?” She brought her eyes across the walls, only to find nothing. “Maybe we’re missing something.”

“Like this thingy?”

Shadow looked over at Goat. He was pointing at an area of the wall near the dead-end. When she went over to investigate, she saw an interesting sight. Latched onto the wall was a tiny, circular mechanism of some sort. Despite the surrounding dirty, stone walls, its silver still shone as if it were brand new. However, what really caught Shadow’s eye was the logo engraved on it. It was the Assassins’ insignia.

“Uh, Shadow?”

“Yes?”

“Whadya think the Assassins were doin’ way down here?”

“I don’t know.” Upon further inspection, Shadow noticed something else. “Wait a minute.”

In the middle of the insignia was a small slit in the metal. It was extremely thin, barely visible to Shadow’s eyes, but seemed to be wide enough to fit her hidden blade. She did just that. When her blade was fully inserted into the slot, she found herself able to turn the entire device, much like a key. She turned it until it stopped with a loud click. Seconds later, the wall that originally acted as a dead-end slid down, revealing a secret passageway behind it.

Goat could only gape in amazement at the sight before him. “Well, Ah’ll be.”

“Another secret entrance? I doubt that Buckeye could’ve gone down this way, but will we find him through here?”

“Shoot, only one way to find out, ain’t there?” Goat was the first to enter the secret passage. Shadow, while interested, didn’t want to be sidetracked. Then again, this was the best lead they had. After all, she could always leave if this place didn’t lead to something of interest, but what were the odds of that?

As she followed Goat further down the passage, she stopped when she heard a familiar sound behind her. Turning around, she was shocked to see that the wall was rising back up, blocking her in. So much for going back.

“Ah, don’t sweat it much,” Goat reassured. “Ah’m sure there’s another way out up ahead.”

“And if there isn’t?”

Goat just rolled his eyes. “You really need to lighten up. Quit bein’ such an optimist all the time.”

“I think you mean ‘pessimist’,” Shadow flatly replied.

“Pfft. Same thing.”

“N-no, they’re the complete… never mind. Just…just lead the way.”

“My pleasure.” Goat continued down the passage, either completely ignoring or completely oblivious of Shadow’s growing irritation. If she heard one more comment like that, she would have an aneurysm out of sheer stupidity. How he became an Assassin, she'd never know.

Thankfully, she eventually saw something that took her mind off of her companion’s questionable I.Q. Along the bottom of one of the walls was a small, barred window. Light was pouring in through it. There was definitely something through there. Shadow and Goat crouched down on either side of the window, peering through to the other side.

Below them was a small, dimly lit room filled with a group of shadowy ponies. While Shadow couldn’t make out his face through the darkness, she could see one pony’s wings. Since he was the only pegasus in the entire group, Shadow assumed that it was Buckeye. He was accompanied by a unicorn and an earth pony. They weren’t speaking, but rather waiting for something.

Soon, a door leading into the room opened. Two other figures entered; a griffon and another pony. The new pony in particular definitely stood out. He was adorned in what appeared to be in an elegant red velvet robe that only left his chest and front hooves exposed. The rest just dragged along the ground behind him. A hood concealed his face, hiding his identity, but Shadow assumed that he was royalty of some kind.

Everyone in the group bowed to the hooded pony once he arrived.

“Is everything in place?” he asked, tone low and secretive.

“Yes, my lord,” Buckeye answered. “I have my men in place of the king’s. I assume that Tinker supplied them with concealable weaponry?”

“Of course,” the unicorn huffed. “But what of the guards inside the castle?”

“I’ve ensured that their morning meal will have an added dose of sleeping powder.” the earth pony informed.

A sinister chuckle escape the hooded pony’s muzzle. “Excellent. It’s all coming together. I expect everything to be taken care of when I return from Hoofington. Just know this: I am far too close to my goal to tolerate mistakes. Do not fail, understand?”

“Yes, my lord,” the group replied.

“A new day is dawning, my friends. May the light of guidance shine through.”

The group bowed to the hooded pony yet again. “May the light of guidance shine through.” With that, everyone left the room.

With the meeting over, Shadow glanced back at Goat. He had the same worried expression as she did. It didn’t sound like they had much time left. They needed to form a plan, and form one quickly.

“Let’s get out of here.” Goat couldn’t agree more. The two continued down the passageway, hoping to find an exit at the end.

As they reached the end of the passage, they saw it open up into another room. But this one seemed different. Upon entering it, the two saw a white, stone coffin in the center of the room. Behind that coffin was the statue of an Assassin, standing tall and proud. Lining the edges of the room were several piles of bits and other various jewelries. They were inside a tomb.

Shadow was completely stunned by the sight. "Amazing."

Goat just whistled at the sight. “Looks like this guy was pretty special if he got a place like this.”

Shadow focused her eyes on the statue. She didn’t know his name, but had a clue about who he was. While she was still working her way up through the ranks, Grey Mane constantly referred to a group of Assassins known as the Great Five. They were the most skilled and important members of the Brotherhood, their actions literally changing how history would play out. She had heard rumors that tombs dedicated to each individual were spread all throughout Equestria. She didn’t believe it before, but she definitely believed it now.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a loud click, followed by the grating sound of stone scraping against stone. Looking down at the coffin, she saw that Goat opened it. “What are you doing?” she demanded, appalled by his willingness to defile his superior’s tomb.

Goat was still straining to push the coffin’s heavy lid off. “Ah saw another one o’ them blade doohickeys on this thing.” The lid finally slid off the coffin, slamming into the ground with a loud thud. “So Ah figured, why not?”

“That’s disrespectful!” she hissed.

Goat just rolled his eyes and ignored her. Looking into the coffin, he saw the mummified remains of the Assassin, a sight that made his stomach turn. However, there was something placed next to him. It seemed to be a piece of parchment, tainted yellow due to age.

“Hey, there’s something in here,” he announced, looking up at Shadow. “Uh, wanna get it?”

She met his eyes with a berating glare. “You decided to open the coffin. You get it.”

Looking back down at the corpse, Goat swallowed down his nervousness. Best to get it over and done with, he supposed. He held his breath before slowly lowering his head into the coffin, mouth open. As soon as he could, he bit down on the parchment. There thankfully wasn’t much taste to it, just dust, something he was already used to. With a gentle tug, he managed to get the parchment out of the coffin completely unscathed.

“What is that?” Shadow asked as he brought it over to her. He placed it at her hooves, where she observed it. Goat looked down at it as well. Soon, a confused frown crept onto both of their faces as they glanced up at each other.

“It…it’s…”

“Yeah.”

Blank. On both sides, the parchment was completely blank. Perhaps whatever was written on it had washed away over the countless years spent in that coffin, but there was no real way of telling. They--or rather, Goat--had just defiled one of their Brothers' tombs for a blank, yellow piece of parchment.

“Happy now?” Shadow flatly asked.

Before Goat could say anything, the two heard the distinctive sound of stone scraping against stone. When they looked at the source, they were shocked to find another portion of wall sliding down, revealing a set of stairs leading back to the surface.

“Ha! You bet Ah am!” Goat exclaimed. “C’mon, let’s get outta here.”

Goat flew up the stairs. Shadow lingered behind, still fixated on the blank piece of parchment. It had to hold some sort of importance for it to be placed in such a secretive location. Even if it didn’t it wouldn’t hurt to hold onto it. Carefully rolling it up, Shadow placed the parchment inside of her robes. Afterwards, she followed Goat up the stairs and back to the surface.

----

It was still the dead of night when the two reached the surface. After climbing through a hatch at the top of the stairs, they found themselves standing atop a roof overlooking most of Canterlot.

“Well, now what?” Goat asked. That was actually a very important question. They needed a plan this very moment if they wanted any hope of saving the king.

Shadow brought a hoof to her chin. “Do you know when they may make their move? Are there any major public events soon?”

Goat scratched the back of his head as he tried to remember anything like that. “Um. Uh, oh, right! Ah heard talk o’ the king holdin' some huge crowd gatherin' tomorrow at the castle. That’ll probably be when they attack. What about that hooded fella? It don’t sound like he’s gonna stay for the action.”

“You should follow him. Keep track of what he does while he's away.”

“What about the others?”

“You can leave them to me. If they're involved in this, they'll fall along with Buckeye.”

Goat nodded in approval. “Alright. Sounds like a plan. Ah’ll wait around the city entrance. Ain't nopony gonna sneak past me there. As for you…” Goat took a bag of bits out of his robes and dropped it at Shadow’s hooves. “You should get some rest up at one o’ the inns around here. You’re gonna need all the energy you can get for tomorrow.”

Shadow picked up the bag and placed it inside her robes. “Thank you. Now get going. We don’t have any time to waste.”

Goat took to the sky. “And Shadow? For Equestria’s sake, be careful.”

Shadow nodded. “The same to you.” Goat took off towards the city gates while Shadow dropped down to the streets below. After hours of scouring the city's underground, she finally had the information she needed. Come tomorrow, there would be absolutely no room for error. Her actions could determine the very fate of Equestria.

She absolutely could not—and would not—fail.