The Creed: Repairing Rome

by Woody Willows

A Perfect Performance (pt. 1)

Author's Note:

This is one of the chapters with crude jokes. Reader discretion is advised.

-=|A few days later|=-

Pinkie-Pie knocks on the door to Fluttershy's room in the watchtower. "If you will just come out and let me explain, please!" she yells. Twilight walks over to Pinkie. "She's been in there for the last three days! I scared her and she won't let me explain!"

"Well, from what I understand, she would have a reason to be,"Twilight paused,"...nevermind. Better to not say it."

"No, no. Go ahead and say it. I know it's a problem. It's not the first time... I just want a chance to explain to her exactly what-" Pinkie is interrupted by the door creaking open. Rarity and AJ walk in. No injuries, just a slightly annoyed look their faces.

"Well," AJ starts," ya'll could told us that the mission was over with the end a complete BUST! We done spent the past few DAYS roamin' 'round ta try an' find Niccolo! On the bright side, we did find someone who can help us all out. Good god, he was almost killed by them damned Borgia." As AJ steps aside, a tall, fairly muscular man stepped out from behind AJ. "You were almost killed by them Borgia, weren't you Mac."

"Eeyup," he replies.

"Well, we have our own problem right now," RD says, a bandage around her leg.

"What the matter?" Rarity asks.

"I seemed to dispatch Niccolo in a really...terrifying way," Pinkie says. "I-I scared Fluttershy and she's hiding in her room. We can't get her to come out."

"What did you do?" AJ asks.

"Well...do yo really want to know?"

"Why else would Ah ask?"

Pinkie-Pie recounts exactly what happened to AJ. AJ stares with a look getting more and more sickened, all the while Raity just has a flat look on her face. "And...that's what happened. Now she's scared and she won't come out of her room. She's been in there since we got back, doing nothing but sobbing."

"Well, how's about you let me talk to her," Mac replies.

"No offense, brother, but ya jus' git here. She don't even know who you are," AJ replies.

"Well, there's an excuse fer me ya introduce mahself to her. Now, Ah'm goin' in." He walks over and knocks on the door softly. "Excuse me, ma'am. May Ah come in?" The crying they hear beyond the threshold stops. The door opens slightly and fluttershy peeps from behind the door. She opens the door and lets Mac in and quickly shuts the door.

"Well, I'll be darned. He actually done gone in and did it," AJ says,"Well, Ah guess we can only wait. He does seem to have a certain...effect...on ladies. He'll pull through."

A day passes. Two days pass. Even three. Only after that amount of time did Fluttershy and Mac come out of the room. Fluttershy has a blissful look on her face and Mac has a simple smile. He looks at Twilight and completely changes the subject on hand and says,"So when we were on our way over here, AJ done told me what she knew 'bout the assassins. I'd like to join in. How do Ah get there?"

"Well you may want to ask Rainbow about that. She's the one who brought us all into the assassin brotherhood."

"Alright," Mac says walking over to Rainbow Dash."So..."

"Well, first of all, you need to go through a little bit of training before you're ready," RD says."I would train you, being the most awesome, but I'm not fit for that right now. How long do I got left, Twilight?"

"Well...I'd say...only about another day u too the bandage comes off then only another three until it's totally ready. I could try to apply some medicine to help it heal faster, but it is not tested yet," Twilight says quickly.

"How much faster?"

"About two days...or it could extend the time by two days...I wouldn't suggest it."

"Yeah, I guess I'll play it safe this once. Anyway Mac, you need to go through some training. If you wait and train with me, you will get it from the best."

"Well, Ah guess Ah'll wait until yer better. No harm in it, right?" Mac replies.

"Good choice! Now we wait."

-=|Four days later|=-

"Alright Mac, now our training begins!" RD says after her leg is healed.

"Well, we have an even more important problem," Rarity says," Ot appears that headmaster Ezio has a new mission for us."

"What is it?" RD asks with an annoyed tone.

"Well, he's found out that some Borgia Templars are planning to kill a famous target just to make a few florins!"

"Who are they planning to eliminate?" Twilight asks.

"Oh goodness, how horrible! They are planning to kill Octavia Melody in the middle of one of her performances! Anyone who has any taste in culture knows the famous Octavia Melody! Oh, I just ADORE her music!"

"Well, Mac," RD starts,"it looks like you gotta train on the go! Fluttershy, get a cloak, sword, dagger, and hidden blades and guns. Mac, get dressed and ready to go! You gonna train by performing a mission with us!"

"Oh, RD,"Fluttershy says,"could I, uh, maybe stay behind with him and, uh, maybe train him as we go along? I-if that'll be fine, of course."

"Uhh, but what if you fall behind and-"

"We'll be fine. We can catch up. Um Rarity? What theatre is she performing at?"

"The biggest one. Right in the middle of Rome," Rarity replies.

"That's a fair distance. I can do it."

"Alright, I guess so, Futtershy."

So, the six assassins and one trainee run out if the door way. The first thing they do is climb a tower to get their bearings as to where they are. Five of them make it up, waiting for Mac and Fluttershy. When they get up there, Twilight points to a building in the distance and jumps off, followed by Rarity, RD, AJ, and Pinkie Pie. "Now jus' how do WE get down?" Mac asks Fluttershy. She just smiles and grabs his arm then jumps from the tower into the hay cart below. Fluttershy jumps out and pulls out a trembling Macintosh. She runs off to follow the others as Mac tries to catch up, fumbling his way over and around buildings. Eventually, the five ahead stopped long enough for Fluttershy and Mac to catch up. Fluttershy is there and doesn't even break a sweat. Meanwhile, Mac practically drags himself along, huffing and puffing, his clothes half way soaked with sweat. "Can we...take a...break...for a few...minutes?" Mac asks between breaths.

"I guess so," RD says. "We can take a pause for a few minutes."

So the seven just wait in the area, pacing around and thinking of a strategy for the mission. Fluttershy gently takes Mac by the hand and says to the others,"I'm going to teach him a few more things about climbing. Is that ok, Big Mac?"

"Ah guess so, jus' don't go too fast," he replies. So the two go off and train.

After about an hour, the other five are just relaxing when RD asks,"Shouldn't they be back by now?"

"Well, darling, Fluttershy did say she was going to train him," Rarity replies.

"Oh, Ah think it's the other way around, if y'all know what Ah mean," AJ says with a sly grin over her face.

"Apple-Jack!" Twilight yells as Rainbow-Dash breaks out in laughter.

"Oh, Ah'm jus' teasin'. But if you want me to be honest, a few nights ago when Mac was in Fluttershy's room, Ah was woken up by some strange sounds."

"What kind of strange?" Rarity asks with genuine curiosity.

AJ's eyes get big and she scratches the back if her head as she blushes. "Oh-uh-just some...creaking sounds. Nothin' ta worry 'bout, Ah'm sure."

"And just what do you think made the creaking sounds?" Rainbow asks slyly, fully understanding what AJ was talking about.

AJ glares at Rainbow with a certain look that says 'don't make me come over there'. Rainbow just snickers as Twilight rolls her eyes. Pinkie is totally oblivious to anything that just happed. Not too long after that, Fluttershy and Mac return.

"Return from your 'training'," RD says, making air-quotes when saying training.

AJ walks over and smacks Rainbow, who just breaks into laughter.

"Eeyup. Ah guess Ah can actually be of some use to ya'll now," Big Mac replies. So, what's the battle plan?"

"Well,"Twilight starts," we go into the theatre and we postion two of us back-stage to keep watch of Octavia as the rest keep an eagle-eye view by hanging in the rafters. If we see any Templars, we give out usual bird whistle as a signal. We will do whatever it takes to protect Miss Melody."

"So, when is the performance?"

"It is at...I think headmaster Ezio said at...4? No, 5:00 P.M."

"What time is it now?"

"About three."

"Well what are we going to do until then?"

"I don't know. Anyone have any ideas?"

"Oh! There is a tea house nearby that I absolutely ADORE!" Rarity says.

"Sure!"RD yells,"Let's go empty our pockets on TEA! Tea is so expensive!"

"Not the place I'm talking about! They sell tea at extremely low prices! It's run by a nice man, I've made friends with, named Gale. OH does he make a rather superb cup of earl grey!"

"Well, Ah am thirsty,"AJ says. "A cup o' steamin' hot tea does sound like it'd hit the spot!"

"Well, take us, Rarity!" Pinkie Pie yells.

"Alright, alright. Calm yourselves! Let's go!"

The assassins went off to the tea shop that Rarity was talking about. When they got there, those noses were cilled with scents of various tea-leaves to sugar. They look around the quaint building; it's not very large at all and a really nice place overall. They find sears and wait patiently for someone to wait upon them. Their waiter is none other then the shop-owner himself.

"Greetings," he says. "How are you all?"

Everyone says things like 'not too bad' or 'pretty good'. "So," Rarity says,"how are you, Gale?"

"Not very good to tell you the truth."

"Well why ever not?"

"Well, a portion of the Borgia's funds come the stupidly over-priced tea that they sell and they consider me as on to be in the way if things. They are threatening horrible things to my little tea shop, being practically only place that sells tea at a price that makes sense..."

"What are they threatening?"

"They say they are going to burn the place down. One guard even went so far as to saying they would... extinguish me from being a problem."

"Death threats!?"

"It's sad but true. Anyway, that's not the point right now. What can I get you ladies and gentleman?"

The seven place their orders and thank Gale for his service. They sit around and talk about whatever until Gale comes back with their order and gives it too them. "Oh, and by the way, this order is on the house," Gale says to them. "All the work you do for the city of Rome is enough payment!"

"Why thank you!" exclaims Rarity.

So it was that the six assassins and one trainee slowly drank their tea having a conversation about what to do in the theatre when Pinkie-Pie exclaims," Guys, we need to get going! Just look outside!"

The others looked outside and beheld the sundial outside of the window. It was almost time for the performance to begin. They leave the cups on the table and run out the door, waving to Gale.

They start to sprint through the streets towards the theatre. Suddenly, without giving any warning to Mac, they climb buildings and run on the rooftops. He slows down and fumbles his way to the roof, Futtershy still staying near him. They eventually catch up with the rest. Fluttershy asks,"Where's Rainbow-Dash?" AJ simply points ahead of them and they see Rainbow way ahead of them. She soon drops to the ground. The others run even faster until they catch up to her. Pinkie-Pie grabs her crossbow and fires a bolt into the heart of a guard on the same roof. Twilight kneels beside Rainbow and examines her. A crossbow bolt to the side. Twilight wrenches it from a wounded Rainbow-Dash.

"What are you-AAHHG-doing?" Rainbow scolds. "You will be too late!"

Twilight looks right into RD's eyes and flatly says,"Semper fidēlis," and continues her work. "You others, go to the theatre, we will be there soon." The others rush off.

AJ, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Mac, and Rarity reach the theatre's entrance. They scope out the area quickly just as Octavia starts her music. AJ points up to a crossbeam and looks at Pinkie and nods. Pinkie-Pie slowly creeps her way through the crowd and starts to climb a wall to the huge building and in no time is in the rafters. AJ points to another crossbeam and nods at Mac and Fluttershy. They are practically there no sooner than AJ nods. She then looks at Rarity and whispers," We will go different ways and try to get back- stage." Rarity nods and they go their separate ways. They soon snake their ways to separate ends of the backstage and position themselves on crossbeams above the ground. They then wait.

Twilight and Rainbow walk into the theatre and notice the positioned assassins. They position themselves hanging off of each wall. They look down. They wait. Watch. Soon, they hear a shrill eagle's whistle come from backstage. They are quickly backstage. They see a sight of ten total guards backstage. It looked like they were expecting trouble. They jumped from rafter to rafter as they made their way to the other end of the stage. They drop down to the ground and look to see one guard raise his crossbow and points it at Octavia Melody. Twilight takes initiative and sprints out in front of the performer. The bolt courses troughs the air. Twilight jumps in the way. Hit. She tumbles to the ground in a loud thud. The music stops. Everyone is dead silent. Another bolt course through the air, this time to the guards. The assassins show themselves on the stage. The bolt strikes a guard in the head, dropping him dead in an instant. The theatre is cleared in a matter of minutes by a whole bunch of people yelling and clamoring out if the building. However, Octavia is still standing out of shock.

The leader of the group of guards point to the assassins. "Ōppugnā!" he yells and the the other guards rush at the assassins. Mac sprints over and grabs Octavia and throws her over his shoulder and turns and runs. Fluttershy picks up Twilight and runs. Rarity grabs the cello and runs. Pinkie goes with them to keep the safe. AJ however stays.