//------------------------------//
// The Back-Up Plan 
// Story: Long Live Queen Chrysalis 
// by Child of Stars 
//------------------------------//

The heavy metal case clanked against the floorboards as the unicorn previously levitating it let go. From within he retrieved a few different dark objects, all of various sizes and each with their own distinct purpose. They all slotted together and clicked into place like the way a jigsaw puzzle could, only this puzzle was not a pretty picture upon completion. This object was a cold piece of steel intended for a much darker purpose than that of the common puzzle.

The tan unicorn draped in black stood from his kneeled position, holding the now-assembled magical rifle close to his chest, and looked over to his hostage. He stared at the tied up and unconscious gagged pony with a practiced calm from beneath his wide-brimmed cowpony hat, a hat that was as dark as the midnight sky. Then the stallion reached into his cloak of shadows and pulled out a wickedly curved karambit and held it up to the gagged pony’s face. Slowly he dragged the blade over to the pony’s cheek, and with careful precision he cut the cloth from the pony’s face.

Satisfied, the pony in the black duster picked himself up off the floor and walked back over to the nearby open window. The windowsill had already been turned white by a light dusting of snow that had floated in from the outside of the abandoned building he found himself in. Getting to said window, he used the windowsill to pull himself up into a bipedal position and stabilized himself against it. He then pulled his rifle away from his chest and flipped down the weapon’s bipod attachment. It hung loosely from the gun’s barrel as he set it down upon the windowsill’s edge and locked the legs in place. 

He brought a black gloved hoof up to his face to brush away some loose golden locks that had fallen in front of his face before swiftly adjusting the settings on his rifle’s scope. His gray eyes dilated as the view through his sniper rifle’s scope became clear, and the visage of a mare filled his view. He shifted into a more comfortable position as he zoomed slightly out and took in the full scene in front of him. A tall alicorn was dressed in an elegant form-fitting white dress with an intricate detailing strew across it. Elbow length gloves of the same color complimented her light purple fur and highlighted the vibrant makeup that she wore. Dark indigo hair with a violet and pink stripe flowed wildly in some invisible wind and her brilliant deep purple eyes gazed softly across the crowd in front of the podium she currently stood upon.

There was no doubt in the stallion’s mind, the mare about to address the crowd in front of her was his target. A sly grin should have crossed his face when the assassin thought about taking the shot; he always used to get giddy about it. Now though, the stallion felt no joy in taking this alicorn princess’ life. Not only had his research into his target shown her to be nothing but kind, but the reasons he was made to kill this pony were grim. 

“No! Stop!” A loud shout came from beside the hitman who barely even reacted. 

“Ah Mr. Sparkle, you're awake,” the stallion in black calmly stated, “Mind telling me if Princess Twilight Sparkle is giving a speech today?”

“What?” A confused and still slightly dazed Night Light responded, “Yes, of course she is.”

“Thank you Mr. Sparkle, that's all I needed. You can go back to sleep now.”

“Your welco-” Night Light started automatically before his brain caught up with reality and he stopped speaking. He took a look around and noticed his own, magical and physical, restraints. Panicked, he looked up and saw the unicorn in black in front of him with a long-range rifle mounted upon a nearby windowsill. Putting two and two together, Night Light quickly realized what was going on. “No! Wait, don't kill my daughter, you brute!” 

The pony in black chuckled lightly before responding, “So now you realize the predicament you’re in.”

“She’s a g-” Night Light started before being cut off abruptly.

“A good pony, yeah? She’s been wrongly framed?” the assassin questioned, “Yeah, I know. I looked into her background. Always do some research on my targets before the hit is carried out.” An aghast Night Light quickly looked around for something he could use to get the assassin to stop but couldn’t find any. The only thing to come to mind was a weak strategy, but one that still might work. 

“Why am I alive? I’m sure you could have identified Twilight without my confirmation. So why keep me around? You must have some empathy in that heart of yours?” Night Light rapidly said. Interested, the assassin pulled back from his scope and turned his head to look at Night Light properly. The stallion was thin with light blue fur, a short dark blue mane, and sharp amber eyes. He sat on the ground bound to a wooden support beam nearby by thick ropes keeping his forelegs at his side. He was wearing a tailor-made-shiny-navy-blue-tuxedo-type get-up with a tailcoat, white undershirt, and black detailings throughout. He was the definition of luxury, and so was his daughter. Though, from what the hitman had gathered, it actually seemed as though the Sparkles were quite humble and giving.

The assassin sighed before answering Night Light, “You're alive because I try only ever to kill my targets, and anypony who gets in the way of them. I never kill innocents if I can help it. And also, you're right in the fact I didn’t need you to confirm Sparkle’s identity.”

“Then why did you even bother kidnapping me?” Night Light asked incredulously, “What was the point?” 

“The point was to save your life,” the assassin explained with a sigh, “Because downstairs there is a not-so-friendly changeling named Stinger who doesn’t operate by my rules. He saw you coming this way and was going to shoot you. So instead, I knocked you out and dragged you up here, making up the excuse that I needed your confirmation of the target. Happy now?”

“Well I guess, but um…” Night Light trailed off as he tried to come up with another excuse to stall the nameless hitman in front of him. He thought only for a moment when an idea hit him like a ton of bricks. “What’s your name! If you're going to kidnap me and kill my daughter, I at least deserve a name! Especially since you already know mine.”

“Really now?” the assassin questioned before shrugging, “Well I suppose I can. It’s Pin.”

“Pin what?”

“Just Pin.”

“Wait, you don’t have a last name?”

“Oh no, I do.”

“And it is…what?”

“I’m not telling you my damn last name, Mr. Sparkle. You’ll just have to settle with knowing my first.”

“That’s fair I guess,” a slightly off put Night Light commented as the conversation dried up. A dead silence settled around the two, which caused Night Light to panic and quickly come up with a new way to keep the conversation going. “Well, who put you up to this!?”

“Stop stalling,” Pin simply stated before continuing, “Though lucky for you the answer is a simple one, so I don't mind indulging you. It was her late majesty, Queen Chrysalis.” At the mention of Chrysalis’s name, Night Light’s eyes lit up with recognition that was soon replaced by confusion.

“Wait, Queen Chrysalis!? But she was turned to stone along with that Tirek fellow and that rotten filly Cozy Glow!” Night Light exclaimed.

Pin, with mild interest said, “Yeah, she was, hence my use of the word late to describe her. But how do you think she’s giving me order’s from beyond the grave?”

“How in Tartarus would I know!” Night Light angrily shouted.

“Fair,” Pin stated as he turned back to his gun and looked through its scope.

“Wait!” Night Light yelled upon realizing he lost Pin’s attention.

“Nope, I’m doing it now,” The assassin responded nonchalantly as he tuned out everything around him and focused solely on the visage of Twilight through his weapon’s scope. He flipped a latch on one of his duster’s pockets with his magic and pulled out a single bullet, laying it on the windowsill in front of him. He pulled back the rifle’s bolt, picked up the bullet, and loaded the bullet into the chamber before closing it again. Readjusting himself and the gun to be more comfortable he lined up the shot and put his crosshairs directly on Twilight Sparkle's head. 

Night Light was sweating profusely as he saw Pin react to none of his cries and ready himself to shoot. His frightened mind could only think of one way to prevent his daughter from being assassinated, and he did not like it. However, if it meant saving his daughter then he’d do it. Pin released his rifle’s safety as he leaned in, and his pupils dilated once more. He put his right hoof on the handle and a magical finger on the trigger and carefully started to squeeze. Then right before he could fully pull back and shoot, Night Light interrupted him in a way he couldn’t ignore.

“She’s a bastard foal, okay!” Night Light yelled as loud as he could. A confused Pin, who’s concentration had been shattered, turned to Night Light with a startled look.

“Excuse me?” He said, setting down the sniper rifle on the floor by the sill, “What do you mean ‘bastard foal’ exactly?”

Night Light sighed as he looked into the hitman’s eyes and explained, “It’s part of the reason some ponies slander and hate her. It’s most definitely part of the reason Blue Blood hates her so much. My wife and I couldn’t conceive due to an issue on my part, so we decided to adopt. But before we could even get out our front door to go to the adoption center, we nearly stumbled over a basket that was left on our doorstep. Inside was a little purple filly with a note calling her an unwanted bastard foal. We decided to take in the filly and raise her as our own, never telling her that she was abandoned upon our doorstep. She looked enough like us that we could pass her off as our own flesh and blood. But then a few years after she became princess of Equestria rumors started to spread throughout the Canterlot Elite that she was a mistake. I don’t know how they got out but me and Velvet didn’t care what was said or what was the truth. We love Twilight with all our hearts despite us not being technically biologically related. When she heard the rumors she came to us and confronted us about them. We told her the truth and she was furious that we’d kept it from her. We know it was wrong of us, but we were just too weak to ever tell her ourselves earlier. She forgave us after a long while, not that we deserved her forgiveness for the secret we kept. Then as the rumors kept piling up we sided with our daughter, causing us all to be outcasted from the upper echelons of society. And my daughter, for just being born, caused us to gain many rich and powerful enemies. We were all shunned for just being alive!” Night Light had gotten emotional during his long-winded vent. A few tears welled at his eyes, yet they did not break. 

Pin was quiet at this revelation; his thoughts having drifted to his own family after hearing Night Light’s emotional breakdown. He thought of his loving wife and his young 12-year-old daughter being made to suffer for his wrong doings. He let out a sigh as he looked up at Night Light with sympathy. “You know, since it seems you’re spilling emotional family drama I guess I can spill some of mine.”

Night Light looked shocked for a second before he composed himself and waited patiently for Pin to begin. Pin took a deep breath, sat down in front of Night Light, and started, “For starters I am still here to kill your daughter, and it’s what I fully intend to do. I just feel as though you deserve to know some of my reasons for taking this job after you spilled out your feelings there a moment ago. So, to start I’ve done business with Chrysalis and her changeling hive before. Back before I was a retired hitman, I was one of a kind. Not only was I a pony who lived outside of Equestria, and therefore had no loyalty to the crown or its subjects, but I was also a skilled killer. As I’m sure you know those traits are rare in ponies these days, and especially both in the same stallion. So, the Queen saw more benefit in a partnership between us rather than a predator-prey relationship. So, I had a comfortable setup going with her; I’d do the jobs her changelings couldn’t and get a steady flow of bits for it. Then about right before her invasion of Canterlot I bowed out of the assassin business. A mare caught my fancy and all that, you know how it goes. Anyway, she thought that Canterlot was her’s, so she didn’t mind my departure. And after the failure that was the invasion she never contacted me again, too distracted I suppose."

Pin stopped for a second to catch his breath before going on, "But I guess she never really forgot because shortly after I heard she had been petrified I had a dream. In the dream a magical construct of Chrisy talked to me and told me she had one final job for me. She told me she wanted revenge on Twilight Sparkle for what she and her friends did to her. She figured offing the Princess would not only hurt her friends the most, but all of Equestria too. Naturally I asked how she was talking to me postmortem and all that and she told me that the magical construct was a back-up spell in case of her defeat. I blew her off, being retired and all, and woke up not thinking much of it. Oh, but she wasn’t done with me yet though. That damned construct was a very real spell that sent in the real Chrysalis’ attack dog, good old Stinger, the last loyal changeling downstairs there, to come and coerce me into taking the job. So, he kidnapped my wife and filly and took me to meet the green-eyed construct Queen herself. She told me to do this job or my family gets it. Of course, I accepted and was sent on my way with Stinger acting as my guard and watcher as I completed my mission. And then I ended up here; you can figure out the rest.”

“Oh,” was all Night Light had to say after the long-winded explanation.

“Yeah,” Pin said with a snort.

“But I thought all the changelings had reformed and none were left that were still loyal to Chrysalis?” Night Light questioned curiously.

“So did I,” Pin responded, “But I guess Stinger must have been scuttling around in the shadows somewhere, just waiting to be called upon.”

“I suppose,” Night Light said with suspicion clearly in his voice.

Pin waited a moment before he grunted and continued on, “I think you can see why I’m trying to kill Twilight now. Oh, and my last name is Point.”

Night Light looked to Mr. Point with understanding and pleading eyes as he tried to make another appeal, “Yes I can see why, but, Pin Point, you don’t need to do this. Despite my family's ostracization from the upper crust, we are still the royal family! If you just spare my daughter, I’m sure we can use our wealth or power somehow to save your family!” 

For the first time Pin Point had no comeback for that. He hesitated slightly to respond before he thoughtfully stared at Night Light and then his gun. He let out a small hum as different thoughts and scenarios ran through his head. “And how exactly would you use your money or position to help my family?” he asked.

Night Light was about to start talking and listing all the possible ways that his family's cash or power could be used to pressure the Chrysalis construct or fake his daughter’s death but was cut short as a loud bang sounded to his left and a searing pain flared up in his hind leg. He screamed in agony as a startled Pin Point turned around and faced the stairwell. As soon as he did, his expression soured as his eyes came to rest upon the figure standing there.

“Pin Point, what are you doing?” Stinger asked in a strained voice, “You're supposed to be done with the mission by now, not chatting up the hostage. And please try to keep it down, you two are so loud.” Stinger magically lowered his silenced, still smoking, pistol to his side and looked at Pin Point with an annoyed expression. Pin Point looked back at him with an unreadable one as Night Light writhed beside him, nursing his injured hind leg. 

Stinger was a young burly changeling. He had a black exoskeleton, was loaded with muscles, and was quite tall. His blue eyes were hidden behind a pair of sickly green shades to match the green wings he was adorned with. His short black frill was flopped nicely off to the side and kept out of his way. His green tie was striking against his midnight black chitin. The sharpshooter was someling you didn't want to mess with, and Pin Point was stuck with him.

“Don’t give me that look Pin Point; bullet went clean through! Besides, when did you start getting sappy with nonessentials?” The gunman questioned lightly before walking closer to Pin Point. “Whatever, just pick up your rifle and shoot the wench already so we can be done. Some of us have things to do after this you know.”

“No, don’t!” Night Light barely managed to get out in a pained voice.

“Aw, cute, it talks back,” Stinger said condescendingly, “Too bad I’m not into what it’s pedaling.” Wasting no time Stinger pulled his gun up from his side and pointed it at Night Light’s head. Pin Point moved quickly and grabbed the gun by its slide, preventing Stinger from shooting. “Pin Point, I must once again ask, what are you doing? You’re not going soft on me now, are you? Cause growing a consciousness at a time like this is a very bad idea, and a bit too late if you ask me.”

“Wait, Stinger, killing him is not necessary,” Pin Point said in a strained voice.  

“Yeah, and nor is keeping him alive either. And for a matter of fact neither is keeping your family alive if the target doesn’t die,” Stinger said in a dangerous tone. Pin Point stared at Stinger hard, who in turn, stared back harder, but relented in the end. “Fine then Point, I won’t kill the jerk. Just make sure your dog here understands the quiet command. Because next time I hear him bark, I’ll have to put Fido down; yippy dogs are no good.” The threat was clear to both a fuming Pin Point and dejected Night Light. Picking his way across the room to the snowy windowsill, Pin Point picked up his rifle and inspected it carefully. 

Night Light for his part realized that the ropes around him had loosened a bit. Curious he quickly glanced behind him and noticed that the bullet Stinger shot him with had gone through his hind leg and into some of the ropes holding him down. They had become frayed and were starting to unravel, something Night Light decided he was going to take full advantage of when he could. 

“Come on Pin Point, stop wasting time,” Stinger chastised as he turned his pistol on Pin Point, “Or soon I’ll have to list you as an unfortunate casualty on an unsuccessful mission. One that would leave Floral fatherless and Lovelysky a widow.” At the mention of his daughter and wife’s names, a raging inferno lit within Pin Point, and he quickly spun around to face Stinger. He grasped his gun firmly in his golden magic and lifted it up, aiming right between Stinger’s eyes.

“Don’t you dare mention their names changeling!” Pin Point seethed. Stinger let out a dark chuckle before angrily grasping the barrel of Pin Point’s rifle in his green magic and shoving it into the ground. He rushed forth and grasped Pin Point’s collar in one hoof and pointed the pistol at Pin Point with the other.

“And don’t you ever dare point your gun at me again, unicorn!” Stinger said through gritted teeth. He pushed Pin Point away, who glared daggers at the changeling before swiftly setting up on the windowsill again. He refocused the scope, found Twilight, realigned the shot, and got into position. His hoof caressed the trigger as he took a deep breath and prepared to fire. Yet, he hesitated instead of shooting. He knew Twilight needed to die so Lovelysky and Floral could live, but still it felt wrong. Taking a few more seconds to look through his scope caused him to notice some nearby scaffolding. It was close to Twilight but not dangerously so, and it looked unstable.

If he shot that, it would cause enough panic and snow to go flying that in the confusion Twilight could escape and live. Plus, it would be hard for Stinger to confirm Twilight’s situation right away. Yet even if he did that, there was no guarantee it would work. Perhaps the scaffolding wouldn’t fall or perhaps Stinger would take no time at all to realize that it was a facade and Twilight lived. Pin Point just didn’t want to risk his family’s lives on an uncertain outcome, but still, he’d rather not kill Night Light’s daughter.

His concentration was broken for a moment when he heard a shot go off behind him and the sounds of a scuffling. Looking back he saw Night Light had somehow broken free of his bonds and had tackled Stinger to the ground, disarming him of his trusty gun. The sight of the two trading blows caused something to shift in Pin Point. And all of the sudden everything clicked in his mind, and it became clear on what he should do. He grabbed his gun and set everything back up, lined up his shot with the aid of the scope, and looked down into the plaza with confidence. 

At the same time Stinger and Night Light both looked up and saw Pin Point ready to fire. Each bellowed out a reaction.

“What are you doing, Point!?” Was Stinger’s.

“No Pin, stop!” Was Night Light’s.

Pin Point listened to neither of them as the world around him faded out of focus and he let out a deep breath. He steadied his aim, lined up the shot perfectly, and calmed himself. Then at the exact moment a nearby church bell rang out loudly, he fired.