//------------------------------//
// Idea 
// Story: With Blood and Swords 
// by FALG 
//------------------------------//

Half a year has passed since my moving to Ponyville, and I couldn't be happier for that.

I've been thrown a party, met some friends, get my second cutie mark, fall in love, all that made my moods rise up high!

Nothing could mess that up, nothing.

But...

"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked me.

We were sitting below the same tree where she found me that day in the rain 5 months ago, cuddling for a while:
"Nothing. It's just that, I'm afraid I may lose it all in a blink, it's just too wonderful to be true." I replied.
"You're just exaggerating Flare."
"Maybe, but I don't care to lose everything as long as I can still have you."
"F-flare" she blushed and hugged me stronger "you don't have to say that, there is nothing to worry about."
"I guess you are right, in the end you always are." I told her smiling, and I kissed her forehead.



It was another beautiful day in Ponyville, it was becoming colder because fall was approaching, but it was still nice.

After becoming Fluttershy's good friend (around the time we almost got mugged) I was included in her group of friends, of course, they hanged out on their own, sometimes I was invited because the other five insisted. And now that I'm her coltfriend, I was practically one more of them.

Once, when I was invited in their reunions every now and then, I tried to avoid being such a lovebird to Fluttershy; like I said before, I was a little uncomfortable around big groups of mares sometimes.

They practically asked about our relationship, mostly they asked Fluttershy how she felt around me before we were colfriends. They asked me the same too:
"When I'm with her, I feel great, and I don't need nothing else."
"And when you are not around her?" Twilight asked.
"I can't tell you, not because it's a secret, but because I don't know."
"How comes you don't know when you are not with her?" Rainbow asked.
"Because she is always with me, here..." I pointed my head "and here." I pointed my chest.
A little d'aww escaped from Applejack, Twilight and Pinkie's mouth; Rarity seemed astonished, though Rainbow wasn't amused, and instead pointed a hoof to her open mouth.

Back to today, I was again going for a walk through Ponyville, I decided to go to Twilight's library, look for another book.
"Oh hello Flare, nice to see you here." Twilight's voice welcomed me.
"Thanks, I was looking for a book."
"Sure, what's in your mind?"
"Do you got something about history?"
"Can you be more specific?"
"Anything about assassins?"
"Wha-... how do you know about assassins?" she asked me nervously.
"My father had a high rank in the army, he got permission to check the castle's archives and library. And as his son I was able to look some books too."
"Oh yeah, I always forget about your father's time in the army. It will take a while to find the books about assassins, so wait here."
She then looked the shelves, scanning patiently every book.
"Say, why do you want a book on this topic anyway?" she asked me while still searching.
"Well, I managed to copy half of their combat skills, I might as well look about their history, right?"

After that she handed me a big book, almost as tall as my head and a width matching my hoof.
"Wow, looks like they had some history." I joked
"Indeed, they were quite a big guild back in the day." she told me.
"Wait. You're talking in past verse. Something happened to them?"
"Well, they got eradicated."
"What? That's ridiculous!" I was incredulous at the new information.
"Ridiculous or not, it's the truth, assassins are no more, nothing of them exists now." she assured.
"Absolutely nothing?"
She looked away a little.
"Well, just some bad memories."
I didn't ask further, afraid of any answer.



I went back home with the book to read peacefully, this was some heavy reading. Good thing I brought my bag too, otherwise I wouldn't make a big trip with that heavy book.

On the way I ran into Applejack:
"Howdy Applejack, how's it going?" I greeted.
"Flare! Howdy to ya' too, ah'm great how 'bout ya'?" she asked.
"Fine thanks, I was just returning home to read I got from Twilight's library."
"You never do somethin' else than readin' do ya'?" she joked.
"Well, I always like a good book, but otherwise I almost always take a stroll around, it's pretty difficult not to do it with a town like this."
"I hear ya', you're darn right. What'cha reading now anyway?"
"A bit of history this time, about an ancient brotherhood."
"Let me guess, something medieval right? It wouldn't surprise me."
"You could say, but these guys were active until last year, or so Twilight told me." I explained.
"Oh.. well if Twilight says so, then it's pretty much the truth."
"No argument here."

"Well, I'll see you around Applejack." I was dismissing from her.
"Likewise Flare."
I only took a few steps before Applejack stopped me.
"What's the matter?" I asked
"Well first lemme ask: y'are pretty good at fighting an' stuff right?"
"Um, yea, what about it?"
"Well, Fluttershy told me, an' ah thought... well, that, maybe you could teach a bit of your stuff to mah sister."
"Oh, Applebloom? Why is that?"
"Well, she likes that 'kung-fu' things and well, since you know about fighting, ah thought you could teach her, just so she can have something to do in her freetime."

I thought for a while, an apprentice? It would be great to have somepony to teach.
"Let me think about that, it's actually a great idea, but I have to check if I can make a consistent schedule to teach your sister."
"Oh yeah sure, I was just mentionin' though, ya' can say no if ya' don feel like it."
"No seriously, it's quite a good idea, but if you don't mind I'll give you the answer tomorrow."
"Okay no prob. Thanks!" she said, and left.
Then I headed again to my house.



"So now you'll have somepony to waste time with, teaching how to handle a stick?" Plaid joked.
"If that's how you call it, then yes." I answered.
"Ugh" he facehoofed "what will come next? That you teach her to use telekinesis?"
"Hey I can't do that."
"It was figuratively, you dumb-flank."
He then went back to his work.
"Whatever..." I simply said.