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

She was filly-napped.

Filly-napping was one of the worst crimes known to ponykind, and even though that Equestria was officially a safe and peaceful place, there are still ponies willing to take it's peace away.
During his youth, my dad dealt with many of these problems, and always managed to solve them, and to give the filly-nappers what they deserved.

He would know what to do, but I couldn't reach him right then.

I realised that Fluttershy was fillynapped when I found a note on the door of my house, nailed with a dagger that had a blood red coloured hilt, which seemed familiar somehow.
I ran to Golden Oaks Library to tell Twilight:
"She was filly-napped?!" she asked.
"I asked myself the same question, it filled my head yesterday!" I told her.
"Do you know who it was?"
"I kind of have an idea, but you have to see these to understand why."
I hoofed her the dagger and the note, and she read out loud.

"Good try dear assassin, but you couldn't hide for long!
It is time so settle things now, and this time we won't make the same mistake again!

You know where to find us."

Then she looked at the hilt of the dagger.
"They think you are an assassin." she said.
"I wouldn't expect less, after all my way of combat resembles that of the assassins." I pointed.
"But you aren't one, aren't you?"
"If the assassins were eradicated, how could I be one?"
"Dunno, maybe you left the brotherhood before."
It was true, after all, the assassins were defeated not too long ago.
"I'm not an assassin, I just emulate their way to fight." I assured.

After a while, the other four mares appeared, to discuss the matter.
"Do you have any news?" Rainbow asked.
"We are pretty sure of who did this" Twilight started "it's not the first time they did this to one of us."
"What are you saying? They did it before?" Rarity asked.
"Don't you remember when Rainbow was filly-napped? Who was here that brought upon us his past?" Twilight asked to all of them.
"Hey that wasn't his fault Twilight! He just tried to hide from them!" Rainbow yelled.
"And yet they took you, to finish what they started, and now they think that Flare was with them too."
"Wait, they think that Flare is an assassin?" Applejack asked.

"Hold on a second everypony!" I intervened "What is this all about? Did you all knew about the assassins?"
The five looked at each other, worried faces was all I saw in them.
"I think... you have to know what happened last year." Twilight said.



(Author's note: If you haven't read "Reminisce: Swift Slash's shadow" by Neon, now it's the time to read it. As from this point, things might be a little confusing otherwise. Read it here.

"The Guardians. Of course! They are the sworn enemies of the assassins, they would do anything to annihilate them!" I yelled.
"They did it with Rainbow, it was a tragedy that that pegasus was killed while rescuing her." Pinkie said.
Rainbow meanwhile, she retreated to a corner, she didn't want to remember.
"And with him, the assassins were finally finished. Now I understand why you told me that the assassins left to all of you 'bad memories' Twilight." I said.
"Don't we have a way ta' find those guys?" Applejack asked.
"Not really, when they took Rainbow, they took her to the assassins' headquarters, we don't know where the Guardians are located." Twilight replied.
"Don't we have a clue either?" I asked.
All of them shuffled their heads.

After some seconds of silence, a voice was heard.
"I know where they are."
We turned around and we noticed that Rainbow spoke.
"Swift told me where they are located, it's in the same city where the assassins were. Both of the factions controlled the place, out of Celestia's rule." she explained.
"Which is the city?" I asked.

Rainbow looked away, not sure to say it. But she looked again at us confident.
"Anvil."



Once home, I prepared my weapons, and a long cloak to hide them.
"Are you seriously thinking in going there yourself?" Plaid asked.
"I'm not going alone, two of them will come with me." I responded.
"Flare, think what are you going to do. Why don't you call the army and leave them deal with this?"
"Because they called me to go and find them."
"But you're not an assassin!"
"But they don't know that, this is all a misunderstanding. I'll try to reason with them."
"Then why are you carrying weapons if you want to talk?"
I paused a little.
"Guardians aren't known for listening."

I prepared a black hood, that a relative made for me. It covered my face nicely, perfect to maintain anonymity.
"How do you know they won't think of you as an assassin if you have that hood covering your face?" my brother asked.
"Assassins wore white suits, and I'm covered in black, they won't notice it at first glance." I answered.
"Are you seriously thinking of doing this? You're gonna get killed."
I let out a long sigh.
"Listen Plaid, I am not sure if I'll come out alive. But what do you want me to do? They would kill her if I tell the army about this. If I go, they will have a reason to let her live."
"But if YOU die, what will she do?"
"I don't know, but I won't let that happen. I made a plan with Twilight to rescue Fluttershy, and with that we have a bit more chances of getting out of there alive."
He kept silent a while.
"I don't like this dude, I don't like this at all."
"Neither do I, but I have to. She means the world to me."

He approached me and gave me a strong hug.
"You are something to admire Flare, but what will we admire if you are dead?"
"My legacy, that's everything I'll leave if I die. But I'm not planning in dying anytime soon."
"And what if you die?"
"Know that if that happens... I never stopped to fight."



I went back to the library, Twilight and I decided to bring Rainbow as well. The unicorn said that we are bringing her not only because she knew where the Guardians were, but we could also need some backup.
"If things get serious, only us both won't be capable to deal with them all." Twilight explained.
"You are right. But she should come hooded too, they could recognize her even after a year of not seeing her." I said.
"Sure. We'll leave by midnight, so we can get to Anvil by midday. I recommend you to go to sleep until then."
"I'll see you then, here in the library?"
"Yes, I have to tell the others about our plan."

With that, I left towards my house, to rest until midnight.