//------------------------------// // A Hidden War // Story: Celestia's Oldest Friend // by midashguy //------------------------------// Will stared down Berry Punch, and she met his gaze with eyes full of hate. Though Will's face was devoid of any emotion, on the inside he was in turmoil. The Spectral Hoof? He was sure they had scattered. The leader...he was dead. This Will knew for sure. "Even If I wanted to leave I can't. Believe me, I have tried. I have the scars to prove it." Will informed. "Then you will die as others have before you." The Assassin said, her voice hardly a whisper. She tensed up, preparing to strike. What she wasn't expecting was being blasted with a concussive spell from Twilight. The blast sent her flying a few feet away. Will gave Twilight a surprised look, with his eyebrows raised high. She could only grin sheepishly in response. "Well that's our queue! We are leaving!" Will shouted to the group. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Twilight was the first to get into the library, followed by Will, who was being tailed by Spike. Twilight had sent the others home for the time being. She didn't want them in any danger. After Spike made it through the door she bolted it shut. "Spike! I need you to send a letter to the Princess. She needs to know what's happened." Twilight instructed. "No! Wait, Spike I need you to write down exactly what I say." Will cut in. "Uh, ok?" Spike said. "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain. Make sure you capitalize every word in that." Will dictated. "Done. Shall I send it?" Spike asked. "Yes!" Twilight and Will both shouted. With that, Spike sent the letter off. It was at this moment that Will noticed how frantic Twilight and Spike seemed. The last time he saw Twilight like this was at Fluttershy's cottage. This was different however. This was full blown panic. Its my fault. I've dragged them into all this. This is the reason I don't go outside anymore! When I do others get hurt. I never do, just the ones around me. Will thought to himself. Here they are, in the middle of a fight they don't understand. Spike belched out a letter. Twilight grabbed it, and looked at it for a moment. She noticed it didn't have the usual wax seal that most letters from the Princess. It still had a seal, but it was different. It showed a creature Twilight couldn't identify grasping a broken spear. "Uh, Will? I think this is for you." Twilight said, giving him the scroll. He looked at the seal and nodded. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will, I'm going to be brief, seeing as you know what to do. However, I want you to leave Ponyville. I can not allow you put anypony, especially Twilight or her friends, in danger. I request you return to Canterlot as quickly as you can. Yours Truly, Princess Celestia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Well, that was brief. Twilight I'm afraid that due to this incident, I'm going to have to put this vacation on hold for a little while. Its going to wreak havoc with my schedule too." Will said, heaving a big sigh. Twilight face-hoofed. It would appear that even in stressful situations that Will's sarcasm and humorous personality remained. It was almost like somepony threw Pinkie Pie's and Discord's personalities together, and made Will's. Interesting thought.... "Ok, seriously, Twilight I'm leaving so that the assassins will follow. I'll get to Canterlot before nightfall, but I'm going to go though the Everfree forest to throw them off the trail." Will explained. "But Will that's Dangero- ...? Did you say Assassins? As in plural?" Twilight asked. "I'm afraid so. Where there's one, there are many more." Will said, shaking his head. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will stumbled, but kept running. Another knife embedded itself into a tree. Will couldn't see where it was thrown from, but he assumed it was nearby. He hid behind a tree, trying to catch his breath. It was at this moment that an arrow nailed its way into the tree, landing right above his head with a thunk! Crossbows? Will thought, That's hardly fair. The next half hour was Will ducking and weaving to avoid multiple types of projectiles, some of which specifically designed to kill humans. Knives, arrows, tomahawks, and the occasional spear. Yet they were falling for his plan. So he headed farther into the forest, and they followed. Soon had stumbled into a grassy circular clearing in the thick trees. Perfect. He ran to the center of the field. By the time he got there he was out of breath and gasping for air. He glanced back the way he came, and saw a small group of ponies in black hooded cloaks strut out of the brush that surrounded the clearing. Well I could either stay and make a bit of a last stand, or try my other plan. Will pondered. Some of them might be pegasus, so plan number two might not be effective. I could try talking to them, its a long shot, but I have to try. Will raised his hands, showing them his open palms, the universal sign for surrender. "Can we talk about this?" Will said hopefully. The pony at the front of the group lowered their hood, it was Berry Punch. "Doubt it." She muttered. "I mean you no harm." Will tried assuring her. "Well we do." She growled. With one quick motion she grabbed a knife out of the interior of her cloak, and threw it at Will. Quick as lightning, he grabbed it by the handle, inches away from his face. He didn't even flinch. "Well I guess negotiations aren't going to work." Will sighed, "I'll take this as my queue to leave." With a orange flash, Philomena blazed up towards the sky, leaving the dumbfounded assassins wondering what exactly they were hunting.