> Assassin's Creed: Beyond
>  by Tryhard McFatface
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: The End (or so it Seemed)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I pushed in the piece of the wall, and the small area housing the Apple was closed off. I felt my way to the chair in the center of the room, and sat down. 

As I sat, I stared at nothing in particular. Thoughts, memories, pivotal moments played out in my head. Maria, Darim, Malik, Everyone I had known and loved, or had come to hate. My battle with Al Mualim played over in my head. 

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a blinding light, seemingly originating from where I had sealed the Apple. I shielded my eyes, before being blasted out of my chair by an invisible force. Then, naught but black...


________________________________________________


I woke with a start, and immediately sprang to my feet. Wait, how was I able to do that so easily? I still had my robe, complete with all the equipment I had used in the past, my sword, my short blade, My throwing knives, and, most importantly, my hidden blades. I could not feel my fingers, nor my toes. I paid it no mind, as I was too intrigued by how quickly I was able to move.

I took a quick look at my surroundings. I was in a grassy field, a small stream in the distance, with a small town further beyond, and a large, ominous forest to my left. Good, civilization. Maybe I can get help there. Strangely, if felt very uncomfortable to walk. Confused, I looked down, and saw, not feet, or even boots for that matter, but hooves, covered in tan fur.

Upon further inspection, it was obvious I had hinge legs, much like  horses' legs. I could not see the rest of my body, for it was masked by my robe, bit I could only assume there was fur all over my body now. My arms also had hooves. I ran a hoof over my head, and felt my hair (or would it be a mane since I could only assume I was an equine?). I tore out a small tuft, and held it in from of my face. it was black, like my hair when I was human. Wait, quick movement, better balance, and my hair is black again? Did I actually get younger?. I examined my face, to an extent. There was a short muzzle protruding from below my eyes, slightly hindering my view, but nothing too drastic. 

Curious, I let myself down on my arms/forelegs. Standing this way felt much more natural. Hm, I'll have to teach myself how to walk on four legs... Wait, how do horses walk? 

After a while (and a few trips), I was able to walk, and run on four legs. I guess I'll be walking like this from now on... Content, I set off toward the town in the distance.
	
> Arc 1, Chapter 1: Friends?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Altair was curious about how he would fight, should it come to that. He tried gripping his sword with his mouth, but it was highly uncomfortable, and the blade wouldn't stop wobbling. Giving up on that idea, he tried standing on his hind legs, and gripping the sword the way he used to. He doubted it would work, but lo and behold, he was able to firmly grip the sword (somehow) in his right hoof. Perplexed, Altair attempted to unsheathe his short blade, with great success. He then threw a knife into a nearby stump, with his usual deadly accuracy. Finally, he tried to use his hidden blades. After a bit of fidgeting, he figured out that the mechanism was altered to spring and retract when he flicked his hoof. 

With that out of the way, He figured that he would need to be able to walk and run on only his hind legs in case of an emergency. After a bit of practice, he was just as quick as before.


Altair's POV


I still don't understand how, but whatever that light was, it reversed my age. I thought to myself as I neared the bridge to cross the stream, and into the town. At least I've finally reached civilization. I walked through town, and, as per usual, some of the citizens made a double take when I walked past. To my confusion, some of the horses bore a horn atop their head, or wings at their sides. I had heard of these creatures, unicorns and pegasi, if I recall, but I had no idea they existed, especially in this... rather vast spectrum of color. I made a quick scan of the vicinity with Eagle Vision, and all of the horses standing around me appeared neutral. Satisfied, I pressed on. I heard calling from a nearby market stall.

"Apples! Get yer Apples!" An orange mare with a straw-colored mane and tail, both of which tied back with a red band, and a strange hat upon her head. I decided to approach the stall.

"Howdy partner!" She noticed my attire, and lack of facial expression. Her look went from happy to uncertain, and mildly frightened. Understandable, it's not every day you see a stoic faced, robed, hooded stallion, not to mention, armed. "C-can ah h-help ya?" She stammered. 

"Indeed. I've gone without a single morsel for nearly a day," (which wasn't completely false), "and as such I am rather hungry. Could you spare a fruit or two?" I asked her. She visibly calmed down when she realized I didn't want to hurt her.

"Well, a'course! Always a pleasure to help somepony!" She took out two apples and placed them on the counter. "That'll be three bits mister!" She smiled.

"Bits? Oh, it seems the currency is not the same as where I am from. Sorry to bother you." I turned to leave.

"Wait! Come back here, y'all!" She called to me. I turned, and walked back to the stall. "Ya can take these two fer free. Didn't know ya were a foreigner." She said to me. I couldn't help but smile, just a small one, at the generosity of this mare. I thanked her, and placed one of the apples in my pouch, and took a bite out of the other. My mouth exploded, it was so delicious. Much better than anything I had eaten in Masyaf, besides the occasional meat supper. I had noticed by now, judging by the fact that I was an equine, that I was an herbivore now, so meat was out of the question.

As I walked off, the mare called out, "Y'all come back now, ya hear?"


Around fifteen minutes later


I was casually strolling through the town, when I was impacted by a blur of pink. My reflexes kicked in, and my hidden blade sprang out of it's hiding place, resting at the throat of a very energetic pink mare.

"Ohmygoshthatissuchacooldeviceareyouaninjacanyoudoninjamovesandclimbupwallsand-" "PINKIE!!" The pink mare stood up off me. I retracted the blade, and turned to look at my savior. It was another mare, lavender in color, with a purple mane and tail, with a single, lighter highlight in both, of which a small horn protruded from her mane. The mare walked over to me.

"Sorry about her, she gets really excited around new ponies." She apologized. Ponies? I thought.

"Well, try to keep her under control. If I was back where I came here from, I probably wouldn't have hesitated to run my blade through her throat." The mare froze at that. I may or may not be in trouble. Better make sure... I activated Eagle Vision, revealing the lavender mare as neutral, and the pink one a vibrant blue, a friend. Good thing I stopped short. I thought. The lavender mare broke me out of my thoughts.

"Y-you mean, you would've KILLED her?!" The mare took on a surprised, horrified look. My Eagle Vision still read her as neutral, though, so I didn't have to worry. Yet.

"Where I came from, the guards are corrupt, the people are anything but honest, and danger lurks around every corner. Experiences there haven't been pretty." I replied calmly. The mare went from shocked to empathetic in all of three seconds.

"O-oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know..." She tried to continue, but I cut her off.

"It's fine. I've had my fair share of misunderstandings." My mind drifted back to Al Mualim, his betrayal, or rather, his scheme.

In my Eagle Vision, the lavender mare turned blue. I guess I've made a friend. I thought of Malik, and our friendship.

The pink mare, who had been standing there, listening to the entire conversation, watched us. She had an impossibly wide grin on her face. Now, I had a chance to study her better. One word to describe her, Pink. Her coat was pink, her mane, her tail, pink. She turned to me and suddenly wore a shocked expression.

"OHMYGOSH! I need to start getting ready for the party!!" She dashed off at an incredible speed. I stood there, watching. The purple mare turned to me after watching the mare sprint off.

"Wow. Your jaw didn't drop. At all. That's a first!" She chuckled. I smiled internally.

"I've trained myself to keep a neutral expression at all times, so my opponents can't read my emotions." She raised an eyebrow.

"Opponents? You're a fighter?" She asked.

"Show me to your house, I'll explain everything once we get there. What I will tell you is not for the public's ears." The mare was confused by this.

"Why? What's so secret you have to wait until we get to my home?" She questioned.

"When I tell you, all will become clear." I replied. The mare sighed.

"Alright. This way." She turned to leave, but stopped. "By the way, I'm Twilight Sparkle." Odd name...

"Altaïr. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad" The mare looked confused.

"Altaïr Ibben-what?" I didn't mind, I didn't expect her to get it.

"Pay it no mind. My last name was always hard for the ones who just learned it." I assured her. The mare nodded, and set off down the road. I followed.
> Arc 1, Chapter 2: Street Fight (More Like Street Humiliation)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	As we walked down the road, I still got looks, but not as many. I believe it has to do with Twilight Walking with me. We walked in relative silence, because the curious mare knew she wouldn't get anything out of me until we reached her house. We rounded a corner, and i stopped.

"Twilight." I called. She turned, and walked over to me. She wore a confused look on her face.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She asked me. In truth, nothing, for I hadn't seen any, but still...

"Try to steer clear of guards. I don't know how they will react to my presence, with me carrying these weapons, and I'd rather avoid a-"

"HOLD!"

"-fight." I sighed internally, for I knew that tone. Only a guard would shout like that. I knew it would happen eventually. I turned, and stared at the stallion who had shouted to me. He was semi-muscular, and the way he held himself reeked of arrogance and a swelled ego. His only weapon, a sword. A standard, straight blade, unlike the curved ones I had seen used by guards in the cities. The stallion stepped forward.

"Sir, relieve yourself of all the weapons you carry, and come with me." I stared at him. I could tell he was intimidated by my facial expression, or lack thereof. I was about to reply, but Twilight stepped in before I could say anything.

"And on what charges?!" Twilight half-asked-half-screamed at the guard. The guard gave her a stern look and replied.

"For carrying weapons without a permit or guard position," he stared at her. She wanted to say more, but I took over.

"Don't waste your time. I don't need to reply, you know what I'll say." I stood on my hind legs, confusing the two ponies. By then, a few other guards had come over, as well as a small crowd of civilians. Twilight backed off, she knew what was going to happen.

"Then I'll take you by force!" The guard drew his sword and made a wild slash at my side. I retaliated by dodging the swing, before grabbing his sword leg and twisting. He yelped in pain, and dropped the sword. I pulled the guard in, and gave a swift knee to his jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious.

The crowd gasped, and the other guards drew their swords. One such guard made a swing to my leg. I drew my sword, and swatted the blade away before closing the gap, and slamming his temple with the hilt of my sword. The guard fell, leaving two more. The crowd had grown significantly, and were cheering for one of us, I know not who.

Of the two remaining guards, one bolted, obviously to gain reinforcements. I had to finish this, quickly. I struck first this time, striking to the left. He blocked the strike, and I swung again, a vertical slash, which he raised his sword to block. With his lower half exposed, I kicked his underside, standing him up. While he was falling, I grabbed him, and threw him into a wall. The guard was down. I heard shouting, and the stamping of hooves. More guard had arrived. Not wanting to prolong the battle, I bolted.

I ran up a wall, and, I'm not sure how, but I gripped a windowsill, and pulled myself up. I climbed onto the rooftop, and sprinted, still on my hind legs, across the town. Pegasus guards tried to pursue. I ran across the rooftops for a few minutes, Before I spotted a cart, filled with hay, within reach of my jump. I turned back to the guards, who were gaining on my position. I couldn't help but smirk as I leaped off of the roof. I could hear the gasps coming from the guards. When they peered over the edge, I had disappeared. Defeated, the guards flew off. If I'm right, they're going to be out for my arrest. Or my head. I jumped out of the hay. Just then, I hear some shouting coming from my left.

"Altaïr?! Altaïr!" I turned, revealing a livid Twilight sprinting towards me. "That was so stupid of you! You didn't have to do that! You're a wanted stallion now, the guards are looking for you everywhere!" She was definitely furious. I took a defensive step back.

"I was only defending myself! In my homeland, I would've killed them, not disable them!" I matched her tone. She flinched at my emphasis on 'kill'. She sighed, and her expression softened.

"Alright, but we should get you off the streets. Hold still..." Her horn started glowing. Hold a moment, what?!

"What are you-!" I tried to say, bit a white light blinded me, and when I could see again, we were in front of an odd house, to say the least. it was made entirely of a hollowed out tree.

"Welcome to the library!" Twilight exclaimed. She smiled and opened the door. The inside was very leisurely. The walls were lined with shelves, filled to the brim with books. The furniture was made of a material I could not recognize. I stepped inside, and sat on a chair. To my surprise, the chair was soft, and didn't require a cushion to be comfortable sitting in it. It was then I noticed something on Twilight's flank.

"What is that symbol on your flank, Twilight?" I asked her. She turned to me, confused.

"You don't know what a cutie mark is?" Cutie... mark? What...? I shook my head. She looked shocked.

"Well, a cutie mark is a symbol that appears naturally on our flanks whenever we discover our own unique talent... wait, do you not have one?!" She lit her horn, and the bottom of my robe was engulfed in a soft purple aura. Before I could protest, she pulled the robe over my flank, revealing the Assassins' symbol. "Yep, you have one. did you just never notice?" I decided to play along.

"I've worn a robe for about as long as I can remember. I've never had the chance to check, for I was constantly in danger." She raised an eyebrow.

"Constantly? What exactly did you do? Does it have anything to do with the unique symbol you have as a cutie mark?" I nodded. I doubt the brotherhood exists here, I haven't seen a single informant or assassin, nor any Templars at all. I guess she is entitled to an explanation.

"Indeed. That is the mark of the Assassins' Brotherhood." Twilight's eyes widened, and she started shaking.

"Y-you mean, hired k-killers?" She stammered. I shook my head.

"No, not at all. The Assassins are defenders of peace, and free will. We fight against the Templars, fiends who wish to unite the entire world in their tyrannical clutches. However, I have not seen Assassin nor Templar in this town. I do not believe they exist here. Would you tell me the name of this planet?" She went from scared to relieved, and then confused.

"Uh, the planet Equus? Why...?" I lowered my head. this new information had confirmed my fears.

"Then, Twilight Sparkle, I am not from this planet."
> Arc 1, Chapter 3: Obligatory Explanation Chapter (for lack of a better name)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"WHAT?!" Twilight's volume nearly deafened me. The surprised mare sprung from her spot on the chair, sprinted at an unbelievable speed, nearly ramming me, and levitated (somehow) a quill and some papers, held together by a metal coil, almost like a small book. "You're an alien?! What's the name of your home planet? How did you get here? Why-"

"Twilight!" I yelled. She jumped at my outburst, and backed off. I sat back, I knew there was no avoiding this. Twilight sat back down in her chair. "I'm assuming you want the full story, then?" She nodded. I prepared to explain everything.

"In truth, I arrived but half a day ago. I was an old man, sitting in my library to welcome death. A golden light erupted from where I had sealed away a powerful artifact, the Apple of Eden. I will not go into detail on this artifact, but it contains immense power. When my vision returned, I awoke to a meadow, with a new body."

"Interesting... wait, did you say new body?" I nodded. "A new species! What did you look like?" I sighed internally. This will take a while...

"Humans, they are called, hail from the planet Earth. They are tall creatures that walk on two legs. They have no fur, save for a small amount on the tops of their heads. Instead of hooves, they have hands, with five fingers to grasp items with."

"I think I can get a picture. Thank you, Altaïr. I should send a letter to the princess about this..." She is in contact with a monarch?

"I don't think that would be a good idea. I've had some tense moments with rulers before." I fear what would have become of me if I  had not eased Richard's mind at Arsuf...

"Are you sure? Princess Celestia isn't the type to judge..." Twilight argued. I could tell she was stubborn, so I decided to give in.

"Fine, but be warned, the encounter could end badly. Very badly." I stated. Twilight gulped. "It has come to my attention that I lack a place to stay. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Well, I could set up a spot in the basement?" I nodded. Basement?

"That would suffice. Thank you." I told her.

"It's no trouble, really!" Twilight assured me, before going down some stairs. A minute or so later, she came back up and beckoned for me to join her. I followed her down, beholding a small setup of a few pillows and a quilt.

"I hope this will work?" Twilight asked. I nodded, and she smiled.

"I've slept in much worse conditions, trust me." I laid down to rest, and, once Twilight reached the top of the stairs, I slowly fell asleep. This has turned out better than I could ever have hoped for.


The next morning...


I woke early, before the sun rose, and walked up the stairs, to see Twilight, reading at her desk. She was so consumed in the book, she didn't notice me come upstairs.

"Twilight." I made my presence known, causing the lavender mare to jump.

"Ah! Oh, it's you, Altaïr. Good morning!" She smiled at me.

"To you as well. Are you always awake this soon? I've never seen another soul up this early before." I asked her.

"Yeah, I like to wake up early, but this is a bit early for me." She said, before turning to walk towards the main library. I followed.

"Twilight? Are you awake?" A child's voice sounded from upstairs. I turned, beholding a curious sight. A small dragon was making it's way downstairs. It caught sight of me, and stopped in it's tracks. "Uh, Twilight? Who's your friend?" The young drake was obviously intimidated. Twilight trotted over to it.

"Morning Spike. This is Altaïr, he's staying with us for now. She smiled and looked over. I nodded in confirmation. The dragon, Spike, I had assumed, calmed down at this.

"Ok," he (I could only assume it was male) looked to me and asked, "what's with the robe? I've never seen anypony dress like that before..." Twilight tensed, but I was prepared for the question.

"It's a family heirloom. I wear it wherever I go." Twilight sighed in relief, and nodded.

"Oh. Alright then!" Spike walked over to me. "Anyway, I'm Spike, Twilight's number one assistant!" he offered a claw, which I shook.

"It's a pleasure." I said, to be polite. he smiled, and walked back upstairs.

"Alright. Oh! Spike, wait!" Spike paused, and turned around. "I need you to send a letter to the princess," Twilight told him. No avoiding it now...

"Oh, ok!" he came back down, and took a quill and sheet of parchment from the desk.

"Dear Princess Celestia, I have some interesting news for you. A mysterious pony named Altaïr appeared in town yesterday, clad in a white robe with a hood, masking his eyes. He is well armed, and knows how to use his weapons very well, from what I have seen. I am requesting that we meet face to face, so that he may explain in his own words. His secret must not be heard by anypony else, lest they get the wrong idea. A small fight with the guards has left Altaïr in a bad position, so it may be safer if you came to us. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle," She concluded. "Did you get all that?" She turned to Spike.

"Yep! Should I send it now?" Spike asked.

"Yes. The sooner the better." Nodding, the dragon took a breath, and blew a small burst of green flame unto the now rolled up parchment, destroying it.

"Now why would you do that? You burned the message," I questioned. Spike laughed.

"Nah, I just sent it. the fire magically transports the letter to Princess Celestia." He smiled. I looked to Twilight, who nodded.

"Intriguing. Also, Twilight?" She turned to me. "What is it that you do with your horn? Some form of sorcery?" I was genuinely interested in this phenomenon. She giggled.

"You mean my magic? All unicorns can do magic, Altaïr." I nodded slowly. It's the best I'll get, I suppose.

Just then, Spike let out a loud belch. A scroll appeared from the mist that followed the noise. Twilight levitated it over to her, unrolled the parchment, and read aloud: "Dear Twilight Sparkle, I am most intrigued by this story, and would like to investigate further. As it seems Altaïr will have some problems getting out of town, I will visit myself. I will be teleporting to you tomorrow, at 9:00 AM. Gather your friends for the meeting. Luna will be there as well. Also, I will pardon Altaïr, and call off any warrants for his arrest. Thank you for bringing this problem to light. Sincerely, Your Mentor, Princess Celestia," Twilight finished reading.

"Well, that settles that. Until then, we should go about our business." I broke the silence that followed. Twilight nodded.

"I guess so. Well, I have to get the returns back on the shelves. Spike, help me out." Spike groaned, and, reluctantly, went after Twilight. I simply sat down with a book on the history of the country, Equestria, and began to read.

Elsewhere...

"The army is almost ready my queen. Soon we will finally take Equestria as our own."

Very good, Commander. You are dismissed." The commander bowed, and left.

"Finally, Equestria will be mine!" Her laughter rang out through the lands, as she gained images of conquest and power.
> Arc 1, Chapter 4: Royal Meeting (A.K.A. Obligatory Explanation Chapter 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I woke well rested, and made my way up the stairs. I could only assume Twilight and Spike were still asleep. I checked a 'clock', I had heard Twilight call it, and it read 5 AM. I can only hope this meeting goes well...

I picked up the book on Equestrian history that I was reading yesterday, and turned to the page I ended on. Twilight came down the stairs a few minutes later.

"Hey, Altaïr. Did you sleep well?" She trotted over, and I put the book down.

"I did, thank you. So, you notified your friends of the meeting when you went out yesterday, correct?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Yeah, I told them to show up somewhere around 8:45 though, so we would all be here when the princesses arrived."

"Very well. But, before I do anything else..." I started to walk toward the door. Twilight followed.

"Where are you going?" She came up beside me.

"Follow, and I'll show you." I replied. She just cocked her head, but followed me out the door. She turned around to close the door. When she turned back around, however, I wasn't there anymore.

"Wha- Altaïr?! Where did you go?" She looked around frantically, until she heard a rustling in the leaves above her. She looked up and saw my standing on a branch above her. "Huh? How did you get up there that fast?"



"Come down, Altaïr! You'll hurt yourself!" Twilight called up to me.

I didn't answer, and disappeared behind the leaves. I emerged on top of the tree, overlooking a portion of the town. I could probably get a better view from the larger building in the center of town, but that was for another day. I looked around for a bit, gaining my bearings.   Something I noticed was that carts filled with hay would be drawn by frequently. I waited for one to appear, and, sure enough, one appeared after a minute or two. I waited for the cart to be in the right position, and jumped. I heard a gasp come from Twilight at I descended. I landed in the hay. I leaped out, and a very angry Twilight came walking over. The pony drawing the card looked back for a moment, confused, before continuing on his way.

"This BETTER not become a common occurrence!" She yelled. I simply stared back at her.

"Of course not. I only did it to gain my bearings." I replied.

"You could've just asked me!" Twilight snapped back.

"As you wish. I apologize for worrying you." I said as I walked past. Twilight sighed, and joined me inside.


8:40 AM, Twilight's Library


"It's about time for my friends to be here. Are you ready to meet them, Altaïr?" Twilight walked over to me, and I looked up from my book.

"Yes, I'm prepared. How many will be here?" Twilight thought for a moment.

"Including me, eight. Nine if you add yourself." Twilight said. I nodded, and turned back to my book. Just then, a white mare, with an elegantly styled purple mane and tail, came through the door. She had a horn atop her head, and spoke with an accent vaguely reminiscent of an Englishman's.

"Twilight, darling, it's good to see you!" She embraced Twilight for a brief moment. She then turned and noticed me. She shifted, and started to look uncomfortable. "Uh, who is this?" She asked, trying to sound calm, and failing miserably at it.

"Rarity, this is Altaïr, the one I told you about." Twilight smiled, and Rarity forced one. She walked over.

"Well, i-it's a pleasure to meet you, Altaïr..." She hesitantly extended a hoof, which I shook.

"Ease your nerves Miss Rarity, I have no intention of harming you, or any of your friends." I assured her. She relaxed, and the smile became a bit more genuine. Two more mares entered the room. One of them I recognized as the mare at the apple stand. The other was a cyan color, with wings, a mane every color of the rainbow, and a tail to match. The rainbow one eyed me suspiciously. The orange one just smiled.

"Yer the one ah saw at the market the other day, aren't ya?" I nodded. She came over to me. "I'm Applejack. Never caught your name though, stranger." She held out a hoof.

"Altaïr. I apologize for startling you that day." I took her hoof, and she shook it with vigor.

"It's alright. I just wasn't expectin' it." She walked over to chat with Twilight. The rainbow one introduced herself next.

"I'm Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in Equestria!" Not the most humble one, is she?

"It's a pleasure." We shook hooves. She steeled her expression.

"Any funny business, and I swear it won't be pretty," she snarled at me. I merely stared at her.

"I have no quarrel with you, but if you attack me, I will defend myself." She just glared at me before walking off. The pink mare I saw the day I arrived walked through the door about a minute later. She saw me, and dashed over.

"Oh, it's you! Mr. Ninja Guy!" She was smiling wider than I thought possible, and she was inches from my face. I nodded, before speaking.

"Indeed, but please, call me Altaïr. I am not a ninja." Whatever that is...

"Okie Dokie Lokie!" She bounced off. What?

Another mare, this one a pale yellow, walked through the door, her face half hidden by her pink mane, with wings at her sides. She was greeted by Twilight, but then the mare saw me, and froze. She shrank down, and hid behind her mane. I walked over, causing her to back off even more. I knelt down to her level.

"Do not be afraid. I do not wish to hurt you, or any of your friends. I am Altaïr. Please, tell me your name." She showed her face, and spoke in an almost inaudible voice.

"I-I'm Fluttershy..." it was difficult, but I managed to understand her.

"It is very nice to meet you, Fluttershy." I dipped my head and stood up. Twilight was smiling at me.

A flash of white light emanated from the center of the room. When it died down, there were two mares standing there, with guards on both sides of them. There were ten guards in all. The two mares both had wings, and horns, with crowns adorning their heads. I assumed that these were the princesses. The taller one was white, with a tricolor mane and tail, flowing in an invisible wind. The other, a navy blue, with a royal blue, sparkling mane and tail, also flowing in the nonexistent breeze. The white one smiled warmly, the dark blue one kept a blank expression. The other ponies bowed.

The guards glared at me, and brandished their spears. One of them said, "Bow to the princess." I looked over at the one who spoke. We shared a tense moment before the taller princess stepped forward.

"That's enough, guards. He doesn't have to bow," The guards looked at her, then back at me, and backed off. The princess turned to the others. "You may rise, my little ponies." They rose. Twilight grinned.

"It's good to see you Princess Celestia!" The princess, Celestia, smiled back.

"It's good to see you too, Twilight." She turned to me. "So, this is Altaïr, correct?" She asked. I nodded. "Greetings. I am Princess Celestia, and this is Princess Luna, my younger sister." Luna nodded.

"It is an honor." I told them. Celestia smiled.

"Alright. Give me a moment..." Her horn glowed a golden color, and then it died down. "I've soundproofed the library. Nopony else can hear us now. So, Altaïr, please tell us how you arrived, and what it is you do." I nodded.

"If Her Majesty wishes. However, you may not like the answers to some questions, should you have any." Twilight, her friends, and the princesses nodded in understanding. I began my tale.

"I was in my library. I had just sealed away the Apple of Eden, one of the relics called Pieces of Eden. The wielder of the Apple can project illusions, control the minds of others, and manipulate others to their will. I sat in my chair, awaiting death's embrace. Before I died, however, a bright flash of light blinded me. I woke in the field beyond this town, rejuvenated. I decided to trek here after gaining my bearings. The rest is known." The girls seemed lost in thought. The princesses' faces were void of any emotion. Celestia spoke up.

"Interesting. Altaïr, Could you show us your cutie mark?" I hesitated, but agreed. Celestia took the back of my robe in a golden aura, and lifted it, revealing the Assassins' symbol. Everyone, er, everypony (sans Twilight) was confused now. I decided to elaborate.

"This, friends, is the symbol of the Assassins." The guards (and Rainbow Dash) took a defensive stance. The rest of Twilight's friends, and Luna, were shocked, to say the least. Twilight started to look nervous and Celestia remained emotionless. "I understand if you do not fully trust me. However, it is not what you think it is. The Assassins are guardians of peace and freedom. We do not kill because we are hired to do so. We fight the Templars, those who wish to unite the world under their rule." I explained. Everypony calmed down, and Celestia stepped up to me.

"I see. Altaïr, would you mind if I projected your memories to those present, so that we may better understand what it was you did?" I nodded slowly. Her horn glowed, and she touched it to my head. Memories began to flash past me, before stopping on one. The memory was projected in front of me, so the others could see. [[Ignore the Ubisoft intro and outro please]]



It was strange, watching myself in third person.  I turned back to the others, who stared at me in shock. The guards were glaring at me. The princesses did not show emotion. I sighed internally, for I knew this would be their reaction. I decided to speak.

"Laa shay'a waqui'n moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine." They were all staring at me now, obviously confused. "Nothing is true, Everything is permitted." A few of them raised their eyebrows.

"Why is that? at least something has to be true!" Twilight blurted out. I shook my head.

"No matter how much you see to be true, there will always be something to refute that alleged truth. For what is explained, there is always something that came before it. Until the question of 'what came before?' is answered, what you say is true, cannot be." She opened her mouth to argue, but found no words.

"Then, why is everything permitted?" Twilight pressed.

"Sometimes, to do what is best, we must bend the law. The only way to permanently rid the world of the Templars, is to silence them." The ponies looked as if they wanted to refute that as well, but kept their peace. "However, we do have restrictions. The Assassins' Creed consists of three tenants. One, stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent. Two, hide in plain sight. Three, never compromise the Brotherhood. Breaking any of these tenants could result in severe punishment. I felt around my stomach, and, sure enough, the scar (somehow) was still there. I stood on my hind legs, and pulled up my robe, revealing the scar Al Mualim gave me when he stabbed me, after I failed to retrieve the treasure from Solomon's Temple. The Twilight and her friends gasped, and Luna's eyes widened slightly.

"What tenant did you break, i-if you don't mind me asking..." Fluttershy spoke, just loud enough to hear.

"All of them. Soon after that day, I changed. I became wiser, and I became a better man." A few of them raised an eyebrow. I understood why. "Where I am from, we refer to males as men, and females as women." A collective 'oh' rang out through the room. Celestia whispered to Luna, whose eyes widened.

"Sister, are you sure that would be wise?" She said aloud. We turned to look at her.

"I'm certain it will be fine, Lulu." Celestia replied. Lulu...?

"Altaïr?" Celestia said. I turned. "I would like to test your potential in open combat. Would you care to spar with my guards?" I thought for a moment.

"How many?" I asked.

"All of them, if you wish." She said. I nodded.

"Very well. I accept." The other princess was taken aback by my answer. She walked over to Celestia.

Celestia smiled, and beckoned for us to come outside. We got situated. Twilight and her friends looked worried, as did Luna. Celestia sat there calmly. The guards sported cocky grins at the took their positions. I stood on my hind legs, and took a stance, confusing those present, including Celestia, if only for a brief moment.

"You know the rules. No weapons, no magic, no flying. Altaïr wins of he defeats all of you. Is this clear?" Celestia spoke. A few ponies had gathered to watch as well, by then.

"Yes, princess!" The guards yelled in reply. I nodded.

"Alright. Begin!" Celestia announced. One of the guards charged head-on. I spun around him, and kicked him in the back of his head, sending him flying. He hit the ground, and didn't get up. This shocked the spectators, especially That cyan mare, Rainbow Dash, and Princess Luna. The guards froze for a brief moment, before getting angry.

Two more charged on either side, in an attempt to throw me off. I jumped backwards, and the charging guards skidded to a halt. Before they could attack again, I grabbed one and threw him into the trunk of the library, knocking him out. the other tried to strike me with a left hook. I grabbed the offending leg, took his head in my other hoof, and struck a knee to his face. He collapsed. Seven to go.

I went on the offensive, grabbing a guard from the semicircle around me and throwing him into another. Before any of the guards could react, I grabbed the two fallen guards and slammed their heads into the ground. The crowd was growing larger, and they were cheering very loudly. I noticed a guard take a swing at me out of the corner of my eye. I ducked, causing the attack to brush over my head. Before he could recover, I hit him under his jaw, sending him onto his back. He was trying to get back up, so I hit him again. His neck whipped around, and he was out of the fight.

I turned to the remaining four. Their previous confidence was replaced by nervousness. one of them tried to charge at me. I dodged and brought an elbow down on his back. He fell, but was still conscious. I let him rise high enough for me to be able to get a clean strike on him. I struck the back of his neck, and he fell again, this time having lost consciousness. Two charged at me this time. I knelt down, and extended my forelegs, tripping them. One of them got up faster than the other, so I grabbed the one still attempting to rise, and threw him into the standing guard. Their heads collided, and they fell to the ground, not moving. The final guard surrendered. I turned around to walk away. As I did so, he tried to attack me from behind. I heard hooves, and numerous gasps. I spun around to see a hoof flying at my face. I barely had time to block it.

"How dishonorable." I said as I violently twisted his leg. He cried out, and I hit him in the gut with my free hoof. He gasped, and I dropped him. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain. The crowd roared as I stood over the ten fallen guards. Celestia waved her hoof, and everypony quieted down.

"Altaïr, I'm impressed. You've taken down ten of my guards, without taking so much as a single hit. Well done." I nodded.

"Thank you, Your Highness." She giggled at my words.

"Please, call me Celestia." She turned to the crowd. "Thank you my little ponies. You may return to your previous tasks." Their disappointment was evident as they dispersed. "Altaïr, I'm afraid me and my sister must take our leave. We appreciate you taking the time to explain." I nodded. There was a bright flash, and the princesses and their guards were gone. Twilight and four of her friends started whispering about something, and the cyan mare shot over.

"That was AWESOME! Where did you learn to fight like that?!" I shook my head.

"We all have our secrets." I stated. She flapped off, a bit depressed. "Although..." She turned around. "I could teach you some of what I know, if you are confident you can do it." She flew back up to me at blinding speed.

"YES! Yes, I'll do it!" She shot off into the sky, and did a few aerial techniques before flying down to me. "So, what time do you want to meet?" I thought for a moment.

"Is eight in the morning reasonable?" She nodded enthusiastically before flying off. A mentor never rests...
> Arc 1, Chapter 5: The Following Day (Kind of Interlude Chapter/MORE EXPLANATION [Only a Little, Though])
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Rainbow Dash and I met in the field beyond the town, around ten or fifteen minutes out. She arrived a few minutes after I did.

"So, how do I get started?" She asked. I thought for a second.

"I have a few questions, to better understand just how I should go about training you." She groaned, and flopped to the ground. "Complain, however, and I could very well walk away now." She sat bolt upright. "First question, How often do you exercise on your own, without being told to do so?" She put a hoof to her chin.

"Well, I fly around for a solid three hours every afternoon..." She said. I nodded. 'Not bad, but she'll need to be able to run as well...'

"Good. Do you have any training or experience in combat, with or without weaponry?" Again, she thought about it.

"Well, I know Karate..." She replied. "I've never used a weapon before, though..." She sank a bit. 'Karate...? I'll ask later.'

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. Hopefully, you'll never have to use one in the future. One more question, and this one is very important, do you want to learn how to use weapons like mine?" She went wide eyed.

"R-really? You mean it?" She stared at me with wide eyes.

"On one condition." She cocked her head to the side. "Never, under ANY circumstances, use a weapon on ANYBODY, unless your life is threatened. Understood?" My voice was cold, unforgiving. She got the message, and nodded quickly. "Good. Now, I have a decent picture of how you will be trained. I can tell you are fast in the air, but one must be quick on the ground as well. I don't care if you can run quickly already, because you can always get faster. I want you to alternate between running and flying during your three hour routine. Extend it if you must." She stared for a second, before nodding. I could tell she thought it wasn't necessary.

"But to start..." I stood up, prompting her to do the same. "You'll need to practice standing and moving like this." I stood on my hind legs to demonstrate. She raised an eyebrow, as if to say, 'That's all?' before attempting it herself, faceplanting in the process. I held out a hoof to her, which she took. She stood up and rubbed the back of her neck, slightly embarrassed.

It took a while, but she managed to balance herself on two legs. After she got a feel for that, we practiced walking and running. After an hour or two, she could walk and run on her hind legs as well. I decided that it was time to stop for the day, seeing as the sun was setting. As we were on our way back to Ponyville, we were confronted by none other than the world's most energetic mare.

"Hello, Pinkie Pie. What do you need?" She was bouncing in place. 'It baffles me how she manages to have this much energy on a daily basis. Ah, I probably shouldn't dwell on it.'

"You, silly! Follow me!" She trotted off. I bid farewell to Dash, who flew off towards the town. I walked after Pinkie. We soon came upon a place that looked to be made entirely of food. Inside, it was dark.

"Are you sure this is the right place? I don't think-" I was cut off by lights illuminating the room, and a loud cry of "SURPRISE!" And for the first time in years, my jaw dropped. 'They got the entire town together, just to have a 'party' in my honor?'

"Were you surprised?!" Pinkie, once again, was directly in front of my face. I nodded.

"It's been a... long time since I've had this enthusiastic of a welcome. I am very thankful that you are willing to accept me." I smiled. The following cheers could be heard from Canterlot.

We spent the next thirty minutes getting me acquainted with the other patrons. The cross-eyed mare and I had a quite pleasant conversation.  Throughout the party I had to blow out candles adorning a 'cake', which was quite sweet, but not too much so, and play a variety of games. One of the more favored games, 'Pin the Tail on the Pony' it was called, I was very good at. 

"Altaïr?" I turned to see Twilight walking towards me.

"What do you need?"

"Could you, maybe tell me a bit about your old home?" 'Should I? It is a bit suspect to not disclose anything about your home...'

"Yes, I can do that. What would you like to know?" She smiled brightly.

"Can you tell me a bit about where you lived, specifically? I mean, temperature, conditions and whatnot."

"Usually, it was warm. There wasn't very much flora, either. The most you would see were some grass, shrubs and a few trees scattered about."

"Huh. That doesn't sound very interesting, no offense." She said.

"None taken. Is there anything else I can tell you?"

"Well, how about the ponies- er, what do you call them?" She asked me.

"People."

"Thanks. What are the people like there?" I looked away for a second, confusing the mare.

"What's wrong? Did I ask a bad question?" I shook my head.

"No, but it brings back a few... less than happy memories.

"Do you not want to answer?" She asked, concerned. I shook my head again.

"No, you deserve to know. Like I said when we first met, it wasn't the most pleasant place to be. The people were far from friendly there. The guards were not very good to begin with, but it was even worse for me." She cocked her head to the side.

"Why?"

"I explained it to you. I am an Assassin. The cities were under the influence of the Templars. If the Templars caught me, they would not hesitate to kill me, right there in the middle of the street, in front of all the citizens." Her eyes widened in shock.

"I knew you lived in constant danger, but that's just horrible!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, it is. Please excuse me." I turned to walk away, but was stopped by a hoof on my shoulder.

"Thanks, Altaïr." She smiled slightly before walking away. I couldn't help but smile. 'These ponies are starting to affect my demeanor.'

Eventually, the party came to a close. The guests slowly filed out. I thanked Pinkie for the party, and told Rainbow Dash to meet me at the same place at the same time in three days. I left for the library after that.

When I got there, I immediately walked down the stairs, got into my makeshift bed, and fell asleep.
> Arc 1, Chapter 6: An Unexpected Invitation (Surprise!) [SHORT]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I was shaken awake by a very anxious Twilight. I looked up at her, concerned.

"What's going on? Why are you so nervous?" I asked her. She sank a bit.

"Is is really that obvious?" Yes, it is. You ponies are very transparent when it comes to emotion.

"You're not answering my question. What's happened?" I asked, more forcefully this time.

"Nothing... yet. Get ready, we have to leave in a couple hours." I nodded and stood up as she briskly trotted up the stairs. I followed shortly after. I found Twilight sitting on the couch, she was shivering, slightly, but she was shivering. This peaked my interest, so I walked over to her.

"Alright, tell me what's happening. I need to know." I demanded. She jumped and turned to me.

"W-well... just read this." She said shakily, levitating a scroll over to me. I took it in my hoof and opened it.

'Dear Twilight Sparkle,


This is important, so I'll make this short. You and the other Elements of Harmony need to be here as soon as possible. I'm sending chariots to pick you up at 7 AM. Bring Altaïr as well. His skills may prove useful in the coming events.


Your Mentor, Princess Celestia

I put the scroll down on the table, and looked at the clock. 6 AM.

"We should probably gather the others. She more than likely means my skill in combat, and if that's the case... we don't have much time, go get Fluttershy and have her wake up Rainbow Dash. I'll find Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie." She nodded and galloped out of the door. I did the same.


____________________________________________________


I stopped at the boutique's front door and knocked violently.

"Coming, please be patient!" A voice from inside yelled. The door opened, revealing the white unicorn. "Oh, Altaïr. What are you doing here at this early hour?" She asked quizzically.

"I don't have time to talk. The princess requires our presence. Wait at the library for me and the others." She nodded, and galloped off toward the library. I went to Sugarcube Corner next, as it wasn't very far. I went inside, and was greeted by one of the owners, Mrs. Cake.

"Oh, hello Altaïr! What do you need?" She smiled.

"Where's Pinkie? This is urgent." She raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

"Pinkie! Altaïr's here to see you!" She shouted up the stairs. The energetic pink pony rushed down the stairs not seconds after. She ran up to me with her trademark smile.

"Hey Altaïr, what's up?" She asked me in that same cheery tone.

"I can't stay, I need to go get Applejack. All you need to know is you have to go to the library. Twilight will explain it to you." I replied.

"Okie dokie lokie!" She bounded off out the door, no doubt headed toward the library, but with her, it's hard to say for sure. I set off towards the farm after thanking Mrs. Cake. I found Applejack harvesting apples.

"Applejack!" I called to her. She looked over, smiled, and trotted over.

"Well, howdy, Altaïr! What is it ya need?" She asked.

"There's not enough time to talk here. We need to get back to the library, it's important." Her smile dropped, and she nodded. We galloped back to the library, where we found the others waiting for us.

"Ah, there you are! The chariots should be here soon." Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, chariots? Why do we need chariots?" Twilight looked back at her.

"The princess asked to see us. It's urgent, but she didn't say just what it was." Twilight explained. Applejack nodded.

The chariots arrived a couple minutes later. We climbed in, and we were on our way to the mountaintop city of Canterlot.
> Arc 1, Chapter 7: The Threat (Yay, Exposition!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	We landed near the castle maybe half an hour later. Twilight and the others were let through, but I was stopped.

"State your business." One of the guards ordered. I stayed silent, and Twilight turned around and came back, noticing my absence.

"Don't worry about him, he's with us. Come on, Altaïr." She said. The guards returned to their original posts, and I followed Twilight into the castle. The castle itself was quite impressive, at least, compared to the simple buildings there were back on Earth. The floor was marble, along with the columns shooting up from it. There were many branching paths, but we continued on a straight path. My sightseeing was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder.

"This is the door to the throne room." Twilight explained. I nodded, and followed the six mares inside. There sat the two princesses on the far side of the room, the walls adorned with stained glass images, depicting scenes I did not understand. I couldn't help but notice a couple of the guards steal a glance at me. We walked up to the princesses, and my companions bowed. I did not, causing a few guards to glare at me, before Celestia stopped them by raising her hoof. She stood, as did her sister.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, everypony. Please, follow us to the meeting hall. There are a couple ponies you need to become acquainted with, Altaïr." I nodded, and followed the princesses out of the throne room, and into a large hall with a table in the center, surrounded by fancy chairs. In one chair sat a white stallion, with two shades of blue in his mane and tail. His mark was oddly similar to Twilight's, only his had a shield behind it. In another sat a pink alicorn, with a tricolor purple, pink, and white mane and tail. Her cutie mark was a heart made of blue crystal, and she wore a tiara and royal regalia. They turned, and Twilight shot forward.

"Shiny! Cadence!" She caught him in an embrace, almost toppling him. He returned the hug in full force.

"Twily!" He replied, just as enthusiastic as Twilight. Twilight hopped to the floor, and her and the pink alicorn did a strange dance, saying lyrics I didn't quite get the meaning of. 'Sunshine? Ladybugs... what? Well, it's obvious they know each other...' I turned to Celestia, who wore a knowing smile.

"The white one is her brother, Shining Armor. They always shared a special bond. As for the alicorn..." She said to me, as said alicorn strode over.

"I don't believe we've met. My name is Princess Cadence, ruler of the Crystal Empire, along with my husband, Shining Armor." The stallion is question was busy laughing as Twilight bounced around him.

"I see. Thank you for enlightening me." I replied. She nodded. Soon after, the stallion took notice of me, and began to stare suspiciously. I returned the stare.

"Princess... who might this be?" He asked Celestia quizzically, slowly walking up to me. The room had a tense air to it, and Celestia soon broke the Silence.

"This is Altaïr, a... traveler, in a sense. I reasoned his, unique, skill set could be a valuable asset against the threat. He's staying with Twilight in the library for the time being." She explained.

"Hm... alright then. My name is Shining Armor, I'm the captain of the royal guard, Twilight's brother, and husband of Princess Cadence." Skepticism dripped from his voice during his introduction.

"Aww, why did you mention me last?" Cadence pouted playfully.

"Sorry dear..." Shining replied in the same playful manner, before returning to his more serious attitude. We all took our seats, Celestia stood from her seat at the end of the table to begin.

"Alright, Luna, you and Captain Armor already know this, but I still need to explain the situation to our guests. For the past couple of months, we've been noticing a startling rise in changeling activity, as well as reports of a few ponies going missing on the border. We believe they are building power for another invasion." Celestia told us. The mares, sans the princesses, gasped at the revelation.

"However," Celestia continued, "We do not expect the invasion to come for another four to six months. This is where you come in, Altaïr. I want you to-"

"Train an elite group of soldiers to fight the way I can, in order to repel the attack easier?" Celestia looked surprised at my outburst, but nodded. "As you wish." At my answer, Celestia smiled.

"Thank you very much, Altaïr."

The rest of the meeting was uneventful. Most of the rest was an explanation of the changelings, and a diagram of their structure was given to me so I could derive the most effective way to kill them. Needless to say, I was more than a little shocked at their ability to shape-shift.

'Alright, my job is to take a group of guards, and train them into Assassins? I have my work cut out for me. I'll have to talk to a smith about the hidden blades, too...' My thoughts were interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. I turned and saw Rainbow Dash standing there.

"Well, we have some down time. Why don't we head down to the gardens or somewhere to train?" She asked. I nodded.

"Sounds good. Meet me there in an hour or so, I have some things to do in town." I replied. She smiled and nodded back, before turning and walking away. I began walking towards the city, in hopes of finding a skilled blacksmith.
> Arc 1, Chapter 8: City Streets, Meeting the Trainees (Introductions)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I wandered the streets, bustling with life. Most of the ponies there were unicorns, but as I traveled further away from the castle, more and more pegasi and earth ponies began appearing. 'Is there some form of racial privilege here? I'll have to ask Celestia...' My thoughts were interrupted by a unicorn bumping into me. He looked at me, before sticking his muzzle up and walking away. 'And the rich are still snobs, what a surprise...' I looked at the bag of bits Celestia gave me, along with the royal seal.

I came upon a building with smoke rising up from a chimney. I assumed it was a blacksmith shop, based on it's design. Upon entering, I was greeted by a muscular-looking earth pony, in the process of forging a blade. There was some form of strap or brace holding the hammer to his hoof. He was so distracted by his work, he did not notice me enter.

"Good afternoon." I said loudly. He looked up at me.

"Oh, hey there. Didn't see you come in." He had a low, rough voice. After greeting me, he turned back to the blade. I watched him work for a bit, switching from the anvil to the fire every minute or so. I waited in the shop for a time, somewhere around an hour, maybe two, before he finished his work for the day. He removed his hammer from the brace, followed by the brace itself. He turned and saw me standing there, watching.

"Do you need something?" He asked, examining me. I nodded.

"I have a task that needs to be done, and you seemed perfect for the job. But first, I need you to examine this." I showed him my hidden blade. He raised an eyebrow.

"That just looks like any other gauntlet or brace..." He inquired. I flicked my hoof, and out shot the blade. He jumped slightly, and stared for a second, before going slack-jawed.

"Sweet Celestia, that's incredible! Please, let me see!" He exclaimed. I nodded and removed the hidden blade from my hoof. He took it gently, as if he was taking a baby.

"I need you to try and replicate this for me. Try and create around twenty, not including the original. Do you think you can do this?" He thought for a moment.

"I'll need a little while to examine the mechanisms of it. Can you come back tomorrow afternoon, I should have an answer by then." He looked at me for a bit before asking, "What's your name?"

"Altaïr. what's yours?" I replied.

"Ironhoof. Pleased to meet you!" he stuck out a hoof, which I shook. "So, can you come back tomorrow? Maybe... seven in the afternoon?" I nodded. "Great! I look forward to it. See you then!" He smiled and walked into a back room, taking the blade with him. I left the store, thinking, 'I'm going to like this one.'


Canterlot Castle, Outside the Training Facility, 7:00PM


'Hm. This is where Celestia said I would find it... Well, I guess I show go see what I'm dealing with here.' I opened the double doors with a hoof, revealing a dozen guards, in a mix of four unicorns, five pegasi, and three earth ponies. Only one or two of them were actually training, the others were having conversations or taking a break. I cleared my throat loudly, getting their attention. They slowly gathered around me confused.

"Who's this guy?" one of them whispered, to which another replied, "I don't know... wait. Didn't Captain Armor say there would be a robed earth pony coming down here to train us?"

"Correct." They all jumped at my words. "I am here to train you, as you said," I said, pointing to the second guard with a hoof. "However, I'll need to evaluate your skill level. Would you care to spar?" The guards were taken aback. One of the guards spoke up after a moment of awkward silence.

"Uh... sure?" A young-looking earth pony spoke up. I turned my attention to him.

"What is your name?" I asked. He backed off. "Name. Now." I demanded. He shook his head to regain his senses before answering.

"Erm... Piercing Spear... sir." I nodded.

"Piercing Spear, thank you. I have a question for you." I said. "Is it a coincidence that all of you have white coats, which I highly doubt, or is there some form of spell or enchantment on you?" He sighed in relief.

"It's in the armor, sir. There is an enchantment placed on it so we're all the same color." He replied. I nodded in understanding.

"Thank you. Now then, you said you accepted my challenge?"

I was directed to the sparring circle by Piercing Spear and the others, who gathered around the two of us inside of the circle.

"Also, do me a favor and remove your armor. It wouldn't be a fair fight with an armored opponent versus an unarmored one, wouldn't you agree?"

"What? Oh... heh, right..." The guards laughed at his oversight. "Quiet. None of you reminded him, either." The guards looked at each other, and stopped laughing.

Piercing Spear proceeded to remove his armor, and once the last article of the golden protection was off, he went from snow white to a light brown.

"Hm. Interesting. Now then, let's begin." I announced. Piercing Spear took a fighting stance, and I took my usual bipedal stance, which, once again, confused those present. "In battle, you will encounter many different fighting styles and strategies in one-on-one combat. Do not let me surprise you, for it could mean your end in a true fight." Piercing Spear snapped out of it and got back into his stance, and we began.

Piercing Spear took the offensive, charging me and taking a hook shot at my left, which I dodged. He followed the attack with a punch aimed at my midsection, which I caught in my own hoof, and tossed aside. He continued this pattern, switching between jabs and hooks at random intervals, none of which connecting.

"I think it's time I ended this." I stated, before feigning a left jab to his face, which he dodged, as expected. While he was still getting back into his neutral stance, I followed my strike with a powerful uppercut, courtesy of my right hoof. The blow sent him flying backwards a few feet, before landing on his back with a grunt of pain. I quickly closed the distance putting myself above him and making a motion across my neck with a hoof. Piercing Spear knew what that meant, based on his look of defeat after I completed the motion.

I helped him back onto his hooves, and walked him over to the others, who still had looks of shock on their faces.

"Now then... who's next?" 
> Arc 1, Chapter 9: Hidden Potential
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	In the end, all of them sparred with me, and each time it ended the same way; with me as the victor. Captain Armor nearly instigated a fight when he found out, but Twilight stepped in before anything could happen. I spent the rest of that night teaching my students how to perform basic attacks from an upright stance. Needless to say this led to many, many falls.

"Ah!" I watched one of them flail their forelegs as they fell backwards, hitting another in the process, causing him to fall as well. I sighed.

Once they had finally gotten that correct (to an extent), I taught them how to take a proper fighting stance. I told them to find a position suitable to their preferred fighting style, be it an offensive, defensive, or balanced preference, over the course of the training. i told them I would adapt their stance accordingly if I noticed any flaws. 

We finally moved on to basic punches, which led to another plethora of crashes and thumps.

"Don't swing so widely. If you have a wide sideways arc, your opponent has more time to block or counter." The one I was speaking to nodded, and went back to practicing with his partner. I turned to Piercing Spear, who was progressing far faster than the others. He was throwing punches much cleaner than the rest, more precise in his strikes. At that moment I saw something in him. The burning, undying determination of a true Assassin.

I walked over to him, and dismissed his partner. He looked to me, confused. I took my stance, and he took a step back.

"Do not be afraid. Never be afraid. If you are, I will refuse to train you." He nodded furiously. "Good. Now, strike, with all your strength." He took his stance, and threw a remarkably quick punch toward my face, which I barely had time to dodge. That almost hit me... maybe he could...

"Again." I ordered. he struck again, this time towards my stomach. I blocked the strike, but he followed it with another directed at my face again, which connected with my shoulder as I attempted to dodge. That only proves it. This one is special, I can feel it. He, however, seemed distraught. All of the others were watching with wide eyes as I stared Piercing Spear down.

"I-I'm sorry, sir... I don't know wha-"

"Enough," I cut him off. "I'm impressed, Piercing Spear. Not many would attempt that so soon." He stared at me, confused. I put a hoof on his shoulder, and leaned in close to whisper, so only he could hear. "Meet me in the gardens tomorrow, at six in the afternoon. There is something very special I want to do for you there. Another pony will be joining us there, a pegasus. Remember, six in the afternoon. Got it? He nodded.

"Good." I said, stepping back and lowering myself back onto all four legs. "That should be enough for tonight. Go about your lives, and all of you return tomorrow, at the same time. Understand?" A chorus of "Yes, sir!" bounced back. "Alright then. You are all dismissed."

I'm interested in Piercing Spear... He has the qualities of a true Assassin. I will find out if he is worthy tomorrow.


The Next Day, Canterlot Lower-Class Block, 6:51PM


The day was rather uneventful. I spent most of my time talking to Captain Armor or the princesses, getting new information on Equestria. As it turns out, there is no specific racial privilege between ponies. However, because Canterlot was founded by unicorns, as it grew into a wealthy area, by the time the city had become integrated, the unicorns already living there had become wealthy, and saw themselves above the poorer ponies.

I walked through the streets as I had done before, making my way to Ironhoof's shop. I walked in, and was immediately welcomed by the large earth pony.

"Altaïr! So good to see you!" He stuck out a hoof, which I shook. I allowed a small smile to grace my lips. "I take it you're here for the blades?" I nodded. "Very good! I actually started on them already, and I have six of them complete. Would you like to try?"

"Yes, please." He smiled brighter, and led me over to the counter. He went back behind it, and pulled two hidden blades out from under it. They looked almost identical to the original, but instead of the Assassin's symbol, it was replaced by an Equestrian carving I did not recognize.

I took the blade and slipped it onto my hoof. Once it was secure, I flicked my hoof and the blade sprang out, sharp as any sword, if not sharper.

"Impressive," I said as I flicked my hoof again, retracting the blade. "Although I am quite surprised with your progress, only having been working on this for one day." He laughed heartily.

"Do you think I'm the only one who works on these? I have assistance in my work, you know! Don't worry, they know not to speak of this project to anypony." I nodded in understanding. "By the way, here's your blade back. I don't need to study it anymore, I have all the mechanics     written out." He said as he pulled the familiar, leather-strapped blade from below the counter. I replaced the new blade with the original.

"Thank you very much, Ironhoof. Though I do have one request." He looked up. "I need you to make a few spares, maybe five or ten for now. If one of the blades is damaged in battle, I will need a replacement for it as soon as possible so that the blade's owner can rejoin the battle without having to wait for their blade to be repaired." He smiled.

"Of course, I'd be happy to! These were pretty fun to make!" I allowed myself to smile a bit more.

"Thank you. As much as I would like to, I can't stay. I have another place to be." He nodded in understanding. "Also, do you mind if I take these?"

"No, not at all, go right ahead!" Ironhoof pushed the blades forward a bit, and I took them from the counter.

"Thank you, Ironhoof. Well, I must be off." I turned to walk out the door.

"I look forward to seeing you again!" He called after me.

"Likewise." I called back, before walking out the door.

Now... I have two ponies to test.
> Arc 1, Chapter 10: Brotherhood
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Canterlot Castle Gardens, 7:00PM


I came upon my two pupils, who were conversing with each other. I overheard Rainbow say "Shouldn't he be here by now?" I took this as my cue to step forward.

"I'm impressed that neither of you left." They wheeled around to see me standing there, two strange objects in my possession. "You will need patience in the future, should you follow through with this." Spear was standing there, as if expecting something. Rainbow was a bit more vocal.

"Where have you been, we've been waiting for am hour!" She tried to hide her annoyance, but it was easy to detect. I set the objects down and turned to face her.

"I understand your annoyance, Rainbow, but you need to learn." She stared at me, confused. "I was late on purpose. I wanted to test your patience." I turned to Piercing Spear as Rainbow sat there, not-so-silently muttering to herself.

"Well done." I said simply. He nodded. I turned back to Rainbow Dash. "Dash, get up. You're going to spar with Piercing Spear." She sat up and smirked. "Don't be overconfident. That will lead to recklessness, and, in a combat situation, defeat." She sank back down a bit, and stood up.

Both of them took their preferred stances. Rainbow, predictably, took on a more offensive style, as I had seen her do at our training sessions. It was evident that Spear had been practicing diligently, developing his style. His stance was much more effective, tailored to a balanced fighting style. Despite this, he still let some nervousness show. This should be interesting. Dash's stance provides no easy method of defense, which should make it easy for Spear to get through, but will he have the confidence to attack?

"The first to fall loses. Are you both ready?" They nodded simultaneously, never looking away from one another. "Good. Now, begin!" Dash made the first move, lunging forward for a jab aimed at Spear's muzzle, he was barely able to swat it away. Dash followed with a strike at his midsection, which he was not prepared for. The blow sent him staggering backwards, and Dash pressed her advantage, pressuring him to block every strike, not letting him counter.

"Dodge, Spear!" I semi-yelled at him. He heard me, and managed to duck a strike. He took the opportunity, and landed a blow to her stomach. She winced in pain, and stumbled backwards. She glared at me, and I returned the favor. Spear saw his chance, and by the time she was able to turn her attention back to her opponent, he was already upon her.

His first shot connected with her face, and she reeled back. Spear tried to maintain the advantage, but Dash was quick to recover. The two exchanged punches and kicks for a while. Some connected, but most were blocked. Without any dodging.

"Ugh..." Another easily avoidable blow landed on Spear's face. "Dodge!!!" I yelled, louder this time. They paused for a second, stunned that I had raised my voice, but quickly got back to fighting, and they began dodging attacks as well as blocking them, drastically lowering the number of hits they both took.

Eventually, Spear got the upper hand. They were both tired, that much was evident, but when Dash tried to break away and catch her breath, Spear caught her with a powerful kick to the side. She could not recover, and fell on her back. Dash groaned as she sat up, defeated. Spear was panting heavily, but I knew he was smiling on the inside.

"Well done, both of you." I helped Dash to her hooves. "I believe you are ready to begin your proper training." Both of them looked at me, confused.

"Proper training...? Aren't you... already... training us?" Spear asked between breaths. I nodded.

"Yes, but it is time you two learned the ways of an Assassin." Dash's eyes widened, and Spear looked at me, curious, but with a hint of fear shining through. "I refrained from telling you until you were alone, Spear. The Assassins were a brotherhood from my homeland, formed to protect our race from the Templars, who wish to control us all." Spear could only nod as he took this in.

"Now, I want to begin anew." I picked up the two hidden blades. "Put these on." They hastily did so, but I had to tell Dash to flip hers around. "Now, flick your hoof." They both jumped when the blade sprang out of its hiding place.

"W-wow..." Spear said, astonished. Dash could only stare at it.

"Does this mean..." Dash trailed off. I nodded.

"First, however, you must learn our Creed." They looked up.

"Creed?" Spear asked. I nodded again.

"The Creed consists of three tenants you must never break. One, stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent. Two, hide in plain sight. Three, never compromise the Brotherhood. The maxim of this Creed however, is our philosophy. Nothing is true, everything is permitted." Spear stared in stunned silence, and Dash just stared. "Do you swear to follow this Creed, whatever the cost?"

"I do." They said in unison.

"Good. Now, my brother and sister, you are Assassins. The New Brotherhood begins with you." They smiled, and I smiled too.
> Arc 1, Chapter 11: More Training
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I stood in the streets of Canterlot, waiting. I knew that if I were to fail, it would mean the destruction of Equestria.

They arrived without warning. Thousands of them, swarming the streets, taking anypony they could catch. Soon they were upon me, and I felt something I haven't felt in a long time. Fear.

I fought for my life, striking down one after another, but for every one I killed, ten more took its place. It wasn't long before I was overwhelmed. 

They tore into me, my blood streaming down my body from numerous wounds as I cried out in agony. As I took my last breath, one thought repeated itself in my mind.

I failed...

I woke with a start, a cold sweat pouring down my face. What...? A dream? It... it felt so real...

I rubbed my eyes, got out of the bed I was given, and checked the clock. 6:00AM. Ugh, I overslept.

I walked down the hall towards the dining area, the dream playing over in my mind. I couldn't get it off of my mind, it all felt to real to be a dream... Why is this bothering me so much? I've never been this concerned about a nightmare before-

"Altaïr." I nearly jumped as I was torn from my thoughts. I turned to face Princess Luna staring intently at me. I hastily bowed.

"You may rise." I rose to my full height again.

"Princess, do you mind me asking why you stopped me?" She stared intently, trying to find any weakness in my features.

"I know what happened this night. You had a most horrible nightmare." I was surprised, to say the least, but I kept it hidden.

"Yes, but, how do you know this?" I inquired. She giggled softly.

"I am the Princess of the Night. It is my duty to seek out and destroy nightmares across the Dreamscape." I nodded, intrigued. "However, I found myself restricted from your dream. I could sense it, but by the time I arrived, you were awake." She hung her head a little.

"Princess, there is nothing to be sorry about. I've been around violence for over half of my life. I'm not that easily shaken." She accepted this, and she nodded, still looking a bit depressed. I tried to take her mind off of it. "We should probably get to the dining hall. Breakfast is starting." She shot upright, and a huge smile suddenly came across her face.

"Oh! I almost forgot!"She dashed forward at a blinding speed, grabbing me and dragging me along. It's a miracle my robe stayed intact. I heard her say something about 'waffles', whatever those are.


That Evening, Canterlot Gardens, 6:27PM


As it turns out, waffles are delicious. That was probably one of the best breakfasts I've ever had, and that's saying a lot, living in a castle. The team I've been assigned to train has progressed significantly since that first night, performing precise strikes with relative ease. I'm seriously considering when they will be ready to join Spear and Rainbow at their level of training, but that was for another day.

I watched as Rainbow and Spear fought, always evenly matched. It was always a back-and-forth struggle between them, each looking for an advantage but never finding one. They were progressing far faster than any other of my students back at Masyaf, so today they would learn how to properly use their hidden blades.

"That's enough." They both turned to look at me, and they were surprised to see me holding their blades. "Put these on. It's about time you learned how to use them." They nodded excitedly, and put them on quickly. I flicked my hoof, and the blade sprang out.

"These were originally designed for stealth, but they make excellent weapons on open combat, if you have no alternatives." They nodded, listening closely to what I had to say. "Along with this, I'm going to show you how to use a sword as well. Spear, I know you have some experience with that already, but for Rainbow's sake, I'm going to let her start from where you did." Spear nodded. "For now though, let's begin with the hidden blades."

We spent the next few hours practicing how to properly block and strike with the blade (not on each other, of course).

"Good." Rainbow flopped down, exhausted. "I think that's enough for the night. Head home and get some rest. I'll see you both back here tomorrow." They said their goodbyes and left, and I went back to my room as well. I immediately went to bed, though it was not a pleasant sleep.
> Arc 1, Chapter 12: The Calm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It has been one month since Piercing Spear and Rainbow Dash started training with blades. In the time that has passed, the Brotherhood has grown from a meager three to thirteen. The new initiates were given a proper initiation, and were training with their own hidden blades and swords. Spear was assisting me in the instruction of more advanced sword techniques, while those who thought they were ready (of whom there were only three) took turns sparring with Rainbow, with little success. 

"Oof!" A recruit grunted as he hit the ground for the eleventh time today. I gestured to Spear, who nodded. He walked over to Dash and took his usual stance. Dash grinned and took her own. The initiates gathered around them, and they began their match.

They fought relentlessly, never letting up, never leaving an opening for their opponent to strike. A fire burned in their eyes as they clashed, the will to succeed becoming a driving force of their actions.

Dodging to the left, Dash narrowly avoided a strike to the face. Seeing an opening, she grabbed Spear's extended arm, pulled him in, and gave him a powerful kick to the gut. He cried out in surprise and pain, and stumbled backwards. Pressing her advantage, Dash struck him in the side of the head, the force of the blow knocking him over with a grunt.

Dash smiled at her fallen foe, and helped him up with a grunt. Nodding his thanks, he walked back over to me.

"You fought well, both of you. Congratulations, Dash." She smiled a little brighter... and I smiled a little in return. She shook her head back and forth in surprise. I heard her mumbling to herself; "Did he just... no, I'm seeing things."

I continued demonstrating sword techniques with Spear for a while, until we were interrupted.

"Altaïr!" I turned to where the voice was coming from, and was met with the sight of a guard. I waved a hoof to Spear, who nodded and went back to instructing the others.

"What do you need?" I asked him, slightly irritated. I had told Captain Armor not to have his guards disturb us during training.

"The princess has requested your presence, immediately." I contemplated this for a second. Why would she want to see me during training hours?

"Did she say why?" I asked him.

"No sir. All she said was that it was urgent."


Seven Minutes Later...


"What's happened, princess?" I asked her as I walked through the grand doors to the throne room. She seemed distraught, and jumped slightly when I spoke.

"Who- oh, Altaïr... thank you for coming so quickly." She spoke seriously, greatly contrasting her usual, motherly tone.

"No thanks is necessary. Now, please, what is wrong? You seem disoriented." She sighed when I finished speaking.

"The changelings have begun their invasion."

"What?!" I didn't bother hide my surprise this time, but I calmed myself quickly. "Where and how did this happen?"

"Salt Lick City, to the west of Manehattan. The changelings and our military are currently battling for control of the city, but it's a losing battle. If we can't get reinforcements there in time, I fear the city will be lost." I nodded and spoke to her again.

"Salt Lick City isn't that large of a point to hold, surely we will be able to drive them back?" I inquired. She shook her head.

"True, it wouldn't be that big of a loss in terms of position and resources, but the troops' morale will surely fall. It will also give the changelings a steady supply of food, which is why I do not want to lose this city."

"You're right, princess. What would you have me do in response to this?"

She turned to look at me, and I swear she saw through my hood and into my eyes when she said to me, "You will take your trainees to Salt Lick City. Assist the troops in fighting back the changelings." I spoke not a word as I turned as sprinted out the door to return to the gardens.

Upon returning to the area where we were training, I was immediately confronted by Spear and Dash. They spoke almost too quickly to process, but one question was made clear: "What happened?"

"Enough, both of you!" The immediately stopped talking and backed up a bit. "The changelings have invaded Equestria." Surprise and anger took over their faces, though Dash made it clear that she was eager to fight back. In the end, I had to pin her down to get her to stop trying to fly away towards who knows where.

"We need to prepare the Brotherhood for war."

The other Assassins took the news just as badly. Some were anxious to get into the fray, the others were nervous about going into battle so early after their training began. Nonetheless, we all loaded into the train for Salt Lick City, and set off.

I watched the castle grow more distant with each passing second, and I swear I could see Celestia standing there on the balcony, watching us go.

"Mother, guide and protect him. Please."
> Happy Holidays!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Hey there everyone!

Sorry it's taking so long for me to get another chapter out. I've been busy with the holidays, family and all that. Anyway, I acknowledge that  I have been lazy about this story, and that the chapters are not nearly as good as they should've been. I hope you all can forgive me for that. Hopefully, I'll be able to make up for it through the next few chapters. Things are about to get real.

I hope you continue to read and enjoy my work.

Sincerely, Tryhard McFatface
> Arc 1, Chapter 13: The Swarm (See what I did there?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I sat silently in the train car, with only my brothers and those that volunteered to take us to Salt Lick City being on the train. Supplies for the soldiers were loaded onto the train as well. Anxiety was present on the faces of my brothers, though some did a better job of hiding it than others. Spear had immediately gone to a car of his own, and I decided not to follow. He probably just needed time to think. The train was devoid of any noise, save for the rhythmic chugging of the engine at the front of the train. I fared little better, too lost within my own musings to care, or even acknowledge my surroundings. 

Why did it have to be now? I found myself thinking this over many times. My mind drifted to the safety of my scanty brotherhood. Have I just sent us all to our deaths? I was so deep in my own thoughts that I barely noticed when Dash tapped me on the shoulder.

"You're nervous, aren't you mentor?" She sat down across from me. I slowly raised my head up to face her, and nodded. She sighed. "I guess we all are. Heh, at least I know that even the mentor can get anxious..." she looked out the window sullenly. 

"It seems so peaceful, doesn't it? It's almost hard to believe that somewhere out there, ponies are dying to protect Equestria. You know, last time, they didn't try this." She smiled, despite her emotional distress.

"What do you mean by that?" I inquired. She let out a half-hearted laugh.

"That's right, nopony ever told you. This isn't the first time the changelings have tried to take over Equestria." Now she had peaked my interest. I shifted slightly, and she took that as a cue to continue. "Their queen, Chrysalis, sneaked into Canterlot, disguised as Twi's- er, Twilight's, old foalsitter, Princess Cadence. She ended up capturing me and my friends with her invasion force, and it ended up being Shining Armor and the real Cadence who sent her running, or, flying, I guess..." She genuinely laughed, which made me smile. And not a small one either. A full on grin. To say that Dash was shocked would be an understatement.

"Wow... I thought I'd never see you smile." She said, bewildered.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked her, my smile still present. She quickly shook her head, and, eventually, a smile formed on her face as well. Soon after, though, my smile disappeared, and her smile faded as well.

"But, what I was trying to say was, even though it was an invasion, the changelings never killed a single pony. They took ponies captive, but we got them all back after the changelings were blasted away... I just never thought that they would be capable of something like this... that anything could be capable of full-on war..."

I could sympathize with that. Many of the initiates that weren't born in to the brotherhood back at my home barely believed us when we told them of our struggle with the Templars. As I began thinking more and more into my past, a thought I had never considered began to form.

"Is something wrong, Altaïr?" She asked me. Her eyes widened, and she quickly attempted to amend her question. "Uh, I-I meant-" I cut her off with a hoof.

"Don't worry, it's alright. You're more than just a member now, anyway. You're a fellow Assassin, my sister. And you are my friend as well." At these words, she leaped forward, and pulled me into a hug. She held that for a second or two, before hastily pulling away.

"Eh... um... I'm sorry, I don't know what-"

"Dash, please. It's fine." She smiled gratefully, and I smiled again, letting my mask fade away. After a few moments, I returned to my original, stoic expression. I thought for a few moments, before making a decision.

"Dash?" Her smile dropped, and she looked at me quizzically. "There's something I want to show you, in case something happens to me." She was taken aback by that statement.

"W-What do you mean 'if something happens to you'?!" She whisper-shouted at me, suddenly terrified. I let my head drop slightly.

"You will be leading the other Assassins into battle. Piercing Spear and I will go alone." She jumped out of her seat.

"That's suicide! You- I can't--"

"Do not let emotion get in the way of what must be done, Dash!" I cut her off. The other occupants of the car quickly turned to face us, before hastily filing out, leaving us alone. They knew better than to be around me if I raised my voice. "If I'm correct, there is some form of commander or captain in charge of this attack. If we can take out that leader, They will fall into disarray. Then, we can rally the soldiers and destroy them. However, I need you and the rest of the Assassins to occupy their main force. Do you understand?" She nodded hesitantly. "Good. Now, on the off-chance that something go awry, I want you to see this." Then, I did something I never thought I'd do again.

I pulled my hood back.

To say that she was awestruck would be an understatement. She was in total shock. She started sputtering out nonsense in a rather comical fashion, but eventually she formed a single word.

"G-gold..." I nodded.

"I'm told that it is an enigma as to how they are this way. However, the reaction to them became too much for me to deal with. That is why I always keep my hood on, even in private areas." Dash nodded, still slightly shocked.

"Dash, promise me that you will be brave. Do not falter, even when the situation is bleak." Her confidence returned, and she nodded again, a look of determination dominating her features. I stood to leave, and pulled my hood back over my head. "Safety and peace, Rainbow Dash." As I walked away, I heard her say; "On you as well."

I walked back through the train for a little while, eventually finding Piercing Spear sitting alone in a car, a blank expression on his face. He appeared to be thinking about something. 

"Spear." I said to him as I approached. he sat bolt upright.

"Mentor!" He practically screamed, and he jumped to his hooves. Well, it's obvious something's on his mind...

"I was wondering why you're back here by yourself. You're becoming more and more distant as well, almost constantly lost in thought." I stared him down, and he shrunk himself down a little.	

"W-well, I'm nervous. I mean, we've only been training for, what, two months at best? There's no way we'll be able to take down an offensive, let alone the whole invasion force!" He spoke timidly, and he looked terrified. I stared harder.

"Never say that to me again. Remind me, what was the foundation of the Assassins' Beliefs?" I spoke calmly, keeping my emotions contained.

"Nothing is true, Everything is permitted, mentor..." He trailed off. I nodded.

"That is why you must not doubt yourself, or your brothers, for nothing is true. Assumptions will bring nothing but fear. They are mere speculation, and you must cast them aside." He nodded shakily. "We will be going alone into the battle. Dash will take the other Assassins and group with the soldiers." His eyes widened. "When we arrive, which should be soon, we need to find the changeling in charge and kill it. We will use stealth. Even with our skill, we won't be able to take on half of the offensive ourselves. Understood?"

"Y-yes... mentor." He replied shakily. I nodded to him and left the car, leaving him alone once again.


Salt Lick City


I had explained the situation to the other Assassins. Some were opposed to the idea, but with a little persuasion, they complied. We stepped off off of the train, only to be greeted by the sight of wounded and dead soldiers, weary medics, and a single officer standing among them. He caught sight of us, and rushed over. Smoke rose up from various locations, though they were concentrated to a single side of the city. I could only assume that was where the changelings were.

"Thank the sun, I thought you'd never get here! Major Red Star, at your service!" He had a hoarse, slightly deep voice, as if he hadn't had anything to drink in days. He was reddish-brown in color, with a black mane and tail. His eyes were a deep green color, and a golden, leaf-like object adorned his flank. He saluted me before continuing. "We've been holding out the best we could, but it's no good. There's just too many of 'em. From what the princess told us in her message, though, you all got the skills to help us out, right?" I nodded, a little confused at his spontaneous nature. "Great! Follow me!" He started to walk away, but he came back when he noticed we didn't follow.

"Somethin' wrong?" he asked me, puzzled. I shook my head.

"This one and I will be going alone." I said, motioning to Spear. "We're going to go look for the one in charge of this attack." His face contorted into a mix of shock, awe and horror.

"That's way to dangerous, sir!" He said this to me with the utmost concern.

"Trust me, Major. Stealth is what the Brotherhood was created to do." With that, me and Spear took off up a nearby building. The Major stared for a couple seconds, before shaking his head and leading the other Assassins to the front line.

As to be expected, the city was deserted. We ran across the rooftops, watching for any changelings that could be flying above. We managed to slip by the main battle with relative ease, although there was one close call.


We were sneaking by the main battle through the alleyways. A stray magic blast flew right in front of Spear's muzzle and collided with a wall, where it exploded rather spectacularly for a blast so small, causing the wall to crumble. I had to slam a hoof in from of Spear's mouth to keep him from crying out.

As we went further and further into disputed territory, the ground below us started to become densely populated with bodies. Blood covered the streets of the city, running like a river into drainage pipes along the sides of the road. The vast majority of the bodies were ponies. Soldiers that had lost their lives defending the city.

"Arqad fi salam." I spoke in a whisper as I ran by. I jumped from one building to the next, Spear close behind me. Soon, we saw the changeling encampment. 

It was massive. Thousands of changelings, possibly tens of thousands, dwarfed the Equestrians' mere two thousand troops. Changelings rushed to and from the front almost systematically. In the center of it all stood what we could only assume was the bug in charge It stood out from the rest, for its wings were blue, as opposed to the green color of those it commanded. It was barking out orders to the changelings, all of them obeying without question. I looked to Spear, and pointed out our target. The air was thick with smoke, obscuring our vision slightly, but hiding us from the changelings. If the air was clear, we would've surely been detected.

We waited for the officer to split from the camp's main area, retreating into a large, pod-like structure that looked like it was made of some sort of green, translucent chitin. We silently climbed down from the building we were perched on, and crept our way into the chitinous structure. The changeling officer was alone, with its back to us. It was looking at some sort of map. I silently walked up behind him.

The hidden blade entered cleanly into its throat.

Surprise and pain overtook the expression of the officer then. It slowly turned to face me, before collapsing backwards. I knelt down beside it.

"Impressive, Assassin..." It coughed.

"How do you know of me?" I asked. It let out a weak half laugh-half cough, before answering.

"We've known about you... for a long time, Altaïr..." It was smiling, blood trickling from its mouth. "We have eyes and ears everywhere." I grit my teeth, and it spoke one more time, an evil grin spread across its face, "You've done well, but..."

"But what?!" I was losing my temper.

"Just know this. Deception is a powerful weapon." With that, the changeling died, the bone-chilling smile permanently plastered onto its features. I stood, contemplating what it had told me. I turned around.

The blade pierced my chest.

I cried out in pain, and stumbled backwards in shock. Before me was a blue-winged changeling, with Piercing Spear's weapons strapped to its body. Blood dripped from one of the hidden blades. I supported myself on the map table, staring with hate-filled eyes at the changeling that had stabbed me.

"I suppose I should explain." The voice was eerily similar to that of a familiar Assassin.

"Spear?!" I exclaimed. The changeling let out a laugh that would set fear into the heart of any man.

"I suppose I should reintroduce myself. My name is Deception, right hoof to Queen Chrysalis herself!" My eyes widened at the revelation. All this time... I've been aiding my enemy...

"I should kill you," Deception continued, "but the queen has other plans. She wants you to suffer. To watch, while the nation you swore to protect crumbles beneath our might. And there is nothing that you can do to stop us now." He laughed again as two changelings walked in and picked me up. Deception waled over to me.

"I'll take that." He swapped his hidden blade for mine, as well as my sword. There was a flash of blue flame, and when it died down, I was staring at an exact copy of myself. "I think I'll pay a visit to our friends back at the front. Have fun rotting, Mentor!" He laughed as he walked out of sight. The changelings started to drag me outside.

I blacked out.
> Arc 1, Chapter 14: The Aftermath (Arc 1 Conclusion)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	

This chapter contains depictions of graphic violence, as well as mild language. Albeit it is not nearly as detailed as other stories, if you are disturbed, disgusted or alarmed in any way by the aforementioned gore, or offended by harsh language, no matter the severity of either topic, I suggest you continue with caution.





That was much more fun than I expected... I ran over the rooftops, thinking about the past few minutes. The fool, he had no idea. Heh, I guess I'm better at this than I thought. Still, they're making my job too easy. I leaped off of the building I was standing on as I neared the Equestrian camp. I was instantly greeted by a certain cyan-colored mare.

"Altaïr, you're safe!" She flew over to me with blinding speed. "We're doing well on the front. We've managed to drive them back!" She paused. "W-where's Spear? He's ok, right? Right?!" Worry overtook her features. I let my head droop slightly.

"Piercing Spear fell in battle." She stared at me in shock for a second, before collapsing into a seated position. She began to sob. Sorrow quickly turned to anger.

"Damn it! Why did it have to be him!" She struck the ground as her tears fell. "I... I'll kill them! Every last one of them!" She stood and turned. I put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Dash, be reasonable. No matter how skilled you are, it would be suicide to blindly charge into a horde of shape-shifting aggressors that won't hesitate to kill you." She stared at me with pained eyes, before closing her eyes and nodding. She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Alright then." I said. "Now, could you call the other Assassins back? I have important information for the Brotherhood only."

She nodded slowly, and wiped a tear from her eye. "O-ok..." She flew off back towards the front line. I grinned. idiot.

Eventually, she returned, the other Assassins in tow. I addressed them. 

"I assume you're wondering why I called you back here?" They all nodded. "Well, I've called you here to give you a farewell." They were taken aback by this statement. Dash spoke up.

"Wait, you're leaving? After what just happened to us? To the Brotherhood?!" I shook my head.

"Oh no, I'm not the one who's leaving." I grinned. "You are."

One Assassin tried to speak. "Wha-" I dashed forward. Before any of them could react, I had lodged my blade in his throat. He stared at me in shock and pain, before collapsing.

"Altaïr! What are you doing?!" i looked back at her, a smile on my face.

"Something I've wanted to do for a long time." I replied calmly. The remaining Assassins stepped back, fearful for their lives, as they should be. I said nothing more as I drew my sword. Or rather, his sword. I charged.

The Assassins offered little resistance. Dash only stared in fear. I beheaded one, blood spilling from the stump where his head once laid. Another attempted to attack me. I swung the sword backhandedly, slicing the attacker in two. Blood, intestines, and other internal organs spilled out of the body. the bloodbath continued without pause, and I enjoyed every second of it.

Soon, only one Assassin remained. The Equestrian military was too afraid to attack me. In the midst of the bodies, standing in the blood of her fallen brothers, was Rainbow Dash. She broke the silence.

"Why?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet?"

"...No. You can't be one of them!" In response, I changed to my Piercing Spear disguise. She stared at me in a mix of rage, fear, and overwhelming sorrow.

"Who are you?" She asked a final question.

"Don't you recognize me, Rainbow Dash?" I put on a hurt face. "It's me, your brother, Piercing Spear!" I grinned evilly as realization set in. She stepped back slowly, before taking off into the sky. I decided not to pursue her. We'll catch her soon.

The changeling army swarmed the camp at that moment. The Equestrians were too occupied by the slaughter of the Assassins to organize. The changelings tore through them, leaving not a single pony alive. I reveled in the sight of it all. Not once did that smile leave my face.


Elsewhere


"Welcome back to the living world, Altaïr." A female voice stirred me from my slumber. I looked around quickly, immediately noticing that my legs were restrained.

"Who are you?!" I shouted angrily. She laughed heartily.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm the changeling queen, Queen Chrysalis!" She exclaimed, obviously pleased with herself. "And soon to be empress of Equestria." She added, taunting me. I felt my anger growing. I tried to move, but a searing pain in my chest caused me to collapse back down. She laughed at me, amused.

"Still so full of vigor! Of course, that will change in time." She smiled.

"You will never take Equestria. We won't let you!" I stated. She laughed again.

"Altaïr, if you refer to the Assassins, they are dead. Deception did a remarkable job dealing with them." My anger peaked. "Aw, are you angry?" She got right up close to my face. "Did you really think you could make a difference in this war?" Words died in my throat. I hung my head, defeated. "There you go!" She grinned.

"Well, I'll leave you to it. Guards, escort him to his 'chambers'." She flashed one more taunting look at me before leaving. As I was taken to my cell, one mocking thought repeated itself in my head. I failed...


Outside of Canterlot


I flew as fast as I could back to Canterlot. I could barely fly straight with all of the thoughts racing through my mind at once. Spear is a changeling, the Assassins are gone... What happened to Altaïr?! That last one scared me the most. But nothing could compare to what I saw when the mountain city of Canterlot came into view.

The city was bathed in green light from all of the blasts going off within it. I flew in closer. I saw guards, prisoners, being executed. Civilians being herded like mindless animals. The blood of both sides ran through the streets, bodies laying lifelessly in the blood of their brothers and sisters. It was horrifying.

Then I was seen.

They came at me like a whirlwind of black and green, dozens of them attacking me at once. I did the only thing I could do. Fight.

I dashed about within the swarm, making swift but deadly punctures at key points on each one I passed, causing them to drop instantly. I knew that I couldn't keep this up forever, though. So I waited for my opening. I stabbed a changeling, its blood spraying onto my leg. It fell lifelessly to the ground, revealing an empty route out of the bugs' death trap. I took that opportunity to escape, and the changelings decided not to follow. My retreat was not without guilt. I just left hundreds, maybe thousands to die... I thought as I flew to Ponyville. The small town fared no better than the capital. I was almost completely destroyed. The realization hit me like a train.

"No... damn it!" I swore as I struck the ground repeatedly. Again, the tears fell. A feeling of helplessness began to surface. It's over. They've won. I quickly suppressed those thoughts. No. I won't let it end like this. As long as I'm still standing, they will not win!


???


"Requiescat in pace, Altaïr."
> Arc 2, Chapter 1: A New Hope (Here we go)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"You had better come out of there alive." I placed a hand over Sofia's.

"I plan to." I responded. I descended down the stairs to Altaïr's Library, alone. The stairs led to a dark corridor. I proceeded, lighting torches along the walls as I went. The hallway led to a large room filled with bookcases. What was strange was the fact that they were all devoid of any books, scrolls or tomes. In the center of the room, there were a few chairs, only one of which was occupied. I knew instantly who it must be. I began to approach the figure.

"No books... No wisdom... Just you, fratello mio." I walked up to the great Assassin, three centuries dead, and knelt before him. "Requiescat in pace, Altaïr." I took the memory seal from beneath his hand, and observed the final memory of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.

With that, I left the old Assassin behind, turning instead to the artifact behind him. I approached the golden artifact curiously.

"Another artifact?" I said to myself, reaching out to the circular object on the pedestal, but stopped myself. "No. You will stay here." I pulled my hand away, and stepped back. "I have seen enough for one life." Just then, the artifact emitted a shockwave of light, and I instinctively covered my eyes with an arm. The artifact was glowing now. I called out into the empty room.

"Desmond?" No response. I decided to continue. "I heard your name once before, Desmond, a long time ago. And now it lingers in my mind, like an image from an old dream." the room began to change around me, lines of golden light covering the area. "I do not know where you are, or by what means you can hear me. But I know you are listening." I gripped my left hidden blade, removing it, and dropped it. Then the right. I drew my sword, and released it as well. "I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose, but drawn forward like a moth to a distant moon." I turned continuously, as if expecting someone to appear. "And here, at last, I discover a strange truth. That I am only a conduit for a message that eludes my understanding." I stopped, my back to the artifact. "Who are we, who have been so blessed to share our stories like this? To speak across centuries?" The room faded to black and gold. "Maybe you will answer all the questions I have asked. Maybe you will be the one to make all this suffering worth something in the end." A man, clad in strange clothing, appeared before me. I walked up to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now... listen..." My world faded in a flash of white light.


The field, Outside of Ponyville


"Ugh, La mia testa..." I tried to stand, but flopped onto my face. I let out a grunt of frustration into the ground before taking a look at my arm, revealing a shocking sight. My robe wasn't what I was wearing in the library. It was my father's robe, the one I wore when I first became an Assassin. What scared me more, however, was the fact that my hand was gone, replaced by a light brown hoof. Panicking, I checked the other arm, seeing that that hand had been replaced by a hoof as well. Distraught, I checked around for my weapons, remembering that I had removed them before meeting that man, who I could only assume was Desmond. To my relief, they were laying on the ground to me left. Now I just need to get to them.

I suppose I should teach myself how to stand as a horse, first of all... And so I did, faceplanting multiple times in the process. Then, I taught myself how to walk and run on four legs, resulting in multiple falls, most of which on my face again. Rubbing my newly discovered muzzle, I walked over to my weapons to retrieve them. Now... how do I do this...? I didn't need to give it much thought, however, as I gripped my sword naturally, as if my hand was still there. I didn't give it too much thought. Given all that's happened, I'm willing to believe anything. I strapped my hidden blades back on as well.

I then took the time to get my bearings. The entire area seemed... dead. What's happened to this place? The grass is yellow, the stream is dirty, the town in the distance is in disrepair... wait, town! I took another quick look around. The only other possible shelter was the dark forest behind me, and I wasn't going to take my chances.

I decided that before I could go, I needed to re-learn how to walk on two legs, in case I got into a fight. I spent the next few hours adapting to fighting with hooves.

"Fanculo!" I swore as I tripped again, this time towards the stream. Thankfully, only my left hoof actually went in the water, but it was still wet. I flicked my hoof to get the water off, and the hidden blade sprang out. "Gah!" I stumbled backwards, eventually falling again. Curious, I flicked my hoof again, and the blade retracted. "Strange..." I said to myself.

Eventually, I managed to reattain the level I was at as a human. It was at that point that I began thinking about how easy this was. My movements were becoming hindered because of my age, but now it all feels so natural, like I was younger. I pulled my hood back, and walked over to the stream, checking the reflection. It was difficult because of the water's lack of cleanliness, but I could distinctly see a black mane and tail. Needless to say, I was surprised. This day is full or surprises, isn't it? I thought to myself as I began walking towards the decrepit town.
	
> Arc 2, Chapter 2: A Changed World
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	As I walked into the town, it became increasingly apparent that It had been attacked, not abandoned. There were definite signs of a battle as I neared the bridge over the polluted stream. Arrows and swords were strewn about, accompanied by bloodstains and slash marks on the buildings as I walked past them, withered with age and neglect. 

The town was devoid of life. Scraps of parchment blew in the light breeze. Garbage and scraps were scattered about. Windows were broken. Not a sound could be heard, aside from the soft clatter of waste as it hopped across the ground in the wind. It reminded me of the aftermath of the attack on Monteriggioni. It disgusted me.

Then, in the distance, I saw them. A tan-colored pony (based on size), probably a mare, cradling the lifeless form of a red foal, weeping over the corpse. A mother who has lost their child... 

I approached slowly, each step serving only to increase my sympathy for the mare, and my rage against whoever had committed such an act. As I grew near, the mare noticed me. Immediately, she shot to her hooves and stood to guard the body of her fallen young. I stopped, and removed my hood. She made no movements, her sorrow replaced by anger in her features.

"Who are you?! What do you want?!" She half-yelled, half-bawled her words. I was internally debating whether or not to question her as to what exactly had occurred, but in her current emotional state, I decided against it, opting to earn her trust first.

"I have no intention of harming you. I wish to offer my condolences to you, miss...?" I spoke calmly, compassionately. My charismatic speech won her over, and she fell into a sitting position, the tears resuming their stream down the mare's cheeks.

"Mythic Song." With each teardrop, a piece of me fell along with it. Why I felt this level of compassion towards her eluded me, but nevertheless, I walked up beside her, sitting next to her.

"May I ask you a question, Miss Song?" She nodded slowly, looking at me with her deep blue eyes. "What was the cause of all this destruction?" Her features took on a surprised look, but quickly shifted to rage.

"Don't mess with me. How can you not know?" She questioned me. I stared back at her in silence. Her expression softened. "The changelings happened. They mounted a full-scale invasion, and took over Equestria." She stared at me for a second, her previous grief replaced by curiosity. "Your accent seems foreign... are you Bitalian?" Deciding to play along, I nodded. She sighed. "Well, that explains how you didn't know... news never did travel across the border very quickly... or at all. Maybe if we had gotten the word out in time..." the tears began to well up in her eyes again. "Maybe he'd still be alive." She looked at her foal, fresh tears falling from her eyes.

"How did he die?" I asked her. She turned to face me. "Starvation. After the changelings destroyed our farms, they cut off all routes here. There's no food for us anymore. It's only a matter of time before this town loses what few residents it had left." She fell into me, sobbing. I let her cry, my robe absorbing her tears.

"Don't worry, Miss Song. The changelings will pay." She looked up at me, surprised.

"You're with the Resistance, then?" She asked me excitedly. I shook my head. Her head drooped a little.

"I'd like to meet them, though. Do you know where they are located?" She nodded. I took the dead foal on my back, and she led me deeper into the center of the town, to a large, dead tree with a door and windows. The remnants of a balcony lay in a heap of wood off to the side.

"This is their base. It used to belong to Twilight Sparkle, but she disappeared, along with the other Elements of Harmony, when the changelings attacked Canterlot." She looked up at a mountain in the distance, and I made out a city, suspended on the side of it. I assumed that it was Canterlot.

"How do you know that this is their base?" Her eyes flitted around for a good while, before focusing on me.

"I don't. But, I've seen The resistance leader, Rainbow Dash, go in and out on multiple occasions." I nodded, taking the strange names into account. As I stared at her, I couldn't help but find her strangely beautiful. Her (admittedly unkempt) dark brown mane and tail complemented her coat perfectly, and only now did I notice the strange image on her flank, depicting a strange black object that looked like a stick with a ball on the end, wrapped in a colorful aura.

"What are you looking at?" She asked me. I quickly averted my gaze, blushing as I did so. She giggled. "Well, you never know unless you go in yourself." I nodded in agreement.

"Do you know if anyone is in there now?" She shook her head.

"Maybe you could... knock?" She suggested. I sighed, but nodded. I knocked on the door. Once. Twice. Nothing. I opened the door partially.

As I looked inside, I saw A group of ponies sitting around a table, looking at a map, probably discussing battle strategy. A cyan pony with a rainbow mane and tail, sitting at the head of the table, looked up and saw me.

"Who are you, what are you doing?!" Her voice was gruff, and cold. The others instantly rose and turned to face me as well. I opened the door fully, revealing my outfit. the cyan pony's eyes widened. "A-Altaïr?" I shook me head, before freezing.

"You know of Altaïr?" She nodded slowly. "How do you know of him?"

"I've met him. I trained under him!" I shook my head.

"That's impossible. Altaïr died three centuries ago." She was taken aback by that statement.

"No, he was here, in this town before the invasion began three years ago!" She was obviously ready to fight if I said anything wrong. I decided not to give her the chance.

"Calm down, signora. It seems we have a lot to discuss."
> Arc 2, Chapter 3: The Hive and the House
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Three years... Three years since I failed. Equestria has fallen, the Assassins were massacred because of my failure. The events of that day haunt my mind, and at night, my dreams.

I shot upright, and put a hoof to my forehead. I've spent countless nights battling the visions of lifeless bodies, blood, and Deception's empty, sadistic smile. As I sit there, I can't help but think about Rainbow Dash, the other Elements, Ironhoof, and all of the friends I'd made in the short time I had spent in Equestria before the invasion.

They probably think I'm dead, if they aren't dead themselves, which seems unlikely. At this point, it would probably be better if I was. I shudder the think about what Ponyville must look like now. Or Canterlot, for that matter. No news ever flows through were I am imprisoned, in my own, secluded cell far below the surface.

For all the wrong they've done, I have to admire what how they've managed to compress so much, and so many of their kin, into such a space. The hive goes down farther than one can see, with paths and rooms branching out below ground. It was my original conclusion that this was done to fool any invaders into thinking it would be an easy target, but I quickly realized that wasn't the case.


Three years ago


"Move it!" The guard escort shoved me forward as I walked down the slanted pathway into the depths, towards my cell. I looked to my left, down the path, and the sight surprised me more than anything I'd seen since I became a pony. 

Countless changelings, some groaning in pain, others writhing on the ground, but the vast majority of them were already dead. I soon realized that the changelings were starving. The other levels were much of the same. It was then that I realized the true reason for their invasion, and why they expanded underground. They were overpopulated, and they needed to accommodate their numbers. Naturally, they would need more food to keep themselves healthy, a resource they did not have. Equestria was the perfect target. A non-militaristic nation full of love. Chrysalis' rage over her previous defeat only gave her another motive.

Against my better judgement, I began to feel sympathy for the changelings.


Present Day


I sat there, pondering what I had seen, all the while rubbing a hoof over the scar that Deception left on me. It was then I heard a conversation going on nearby. I looked down the dug out hall, and saw a pair of changeling guards, which was odd, considering they typically only placed guards near where the halls intersect, and where the halls end. I had expected to be kept under tighter security, but I later learned that most of their soldiers were occupying Equestria, leaving only some personnel behind to prevent any riots and break up fights, given the lack of prisoners on the prison levels. They spoke in hushed voices, but they were close enough that I could make out what they were saying.

"Are you sure he can help us? Even if we have him with us, how do you know they won't kill us on sight." The guard sounded skeptical, but about what I did not know.

"...I don't know. But if anyone can convince them that we're on their side, it's him." The other replied. The first guard shook his head.

"And what if they think he's a changeling? Given how long he's been gone, do you really expect them to instantly believe us?" The second guard was silent for a bit, then sighed.

"No, they won't. But if he's willing to help us, he'll find a way. Give it a few more days, we still have to prepare before making our move." The first guard nodded, and they both walked away. I sat there, thinking about what they had said. 


Ponyville Ruins, Resistance Base


"So..." The cyan pony shifted on her hooves. We stood around awkwardly, waiting for one party to address the other. I decided to break the silence.

"I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Ezio Auditore da Firenze." The cyan pony stared at me, probably considering my name. Then she sighed.

"Name's Rainbow Dash. I guess you already know this, but I'm the leader of the Resistance." I nodded in response, but my mind was on something else. How does she know of Altaïr? and the time difference... it's almost a perfect hundred-to-one. Surely this isn't a coincidence... "Something on your mind?" Her words snapped me back to reality. I shook my head.

"Just considering the possibilities. Altaïr was an Assassin, a Mentor, at that. Did you know this?" She nodded in response. "That proves that we're speaking of the same Altaïr..." I paused, staring off into the distance as I pieced the facts together in my mind.

"The artifact..." I whispered to myself. Dash looked at me quizzically.

"Artifact? What artifact?" I looked her in the eye.

"There was an artifact in Altaïr's library, where I was before arriving here. More than likely, that artifact, whatever it was, sent me here. It may also explain why Altaïr was here three years before me." I paused, letting the Resistance members present take this in before continuing. "Looking at the time gap, it seems that one year here, is approximately one hundred years there." Dash's eyes widened as the realization struck her.

"That actually makes sense..." She looked down at the table before her, and slumped down in her chair. "I hate to say it, but I have to believe you." She looked at me, her tone cold and serious. "That said, can you help us?"

"I'd be honored to." She smiled at this, a true, genuine smile. But it soon turned serious.

"The changelings will be sorry they ever messed with Equestria." She stuck out a hoof. I nodded, but hesitated in returning the gesture with my hoof. How does one shake hands with a hoof? My question was answered when I placed my hoof into hers. It gripped naturally, as if I still had my hands.

"We will make them pay."


Changeling Hive


Days passed, nothing out of the ordinary occurred. I, however, couldn't be more occupied. My nights were plagued not by nightmares, but by wonder. What were those guards talking about?

On the eve of the fourth day, however, I was jarred awake by someone tossing pebbles at my body. I looked up to see a changeling guard at my cell door.

"Get up. We don't have much time, so hurry, before the patrols pass by!" he whisper-shouted at me. Nodding, I hastily got up and went to the door where he stood. He unlocked it, and opened the door. "Follow me, I'll explain when we get there." He took off down the corridor, leaving me to follow, which I did. I found him at the main ramp that led to the other levels. Looking up and down, as if searching for something.

"...Alright, the way is clear. Come on!" he took off again, down the ramp. I followed. Eventually, he led me down an empty hall, and stopped at an unassuming portion of the dirt wall. He pushed the wall in, causing a section to swing inwards, revealing a hidden passageway. He beckoned for me to go inside, and I did so, all the while watching his movements, looking for anything that would suggest a motive. After I went in, he stepped in himself, and closed the doorway behind us, leaving us in total darkness. He lit his horn with magic, illuminating the area around us in a green light. He walked down the hallway, and I set off after him.

"I'm assuming you can explain everything now?" I asked as I came up beside him. 

"I can. But first... can I ask you a question?" I nodded.

"Alright then." He stopped, and I did so as well. "What do you think of us? Changelings, I mean?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you hate us?" I shook my head. He stared at me, confused. "...Why? After all we did to you, all we did to your friends?"

"Because I saw the state you were in." He looked sad now, as if he were about to burst into tears.

"My brother said you'd kill me the minute I let you out. That you despised us for what we did." I walked up to him.

"The actions of one do not define the others. You are whoever you decide to be. That's a lesson I learned later than I should have." He was crying now, looking at me in wonder. "Come. Let's keep moving." He nodded, and began walking down the empty hall again.

We walked in silence, until we reached a door at the end. By then, he had regained his composure.

"Can you do me a favor, Altaïr?" I looked at him. "Don't be alarmed by what you're going to see." I nodded slowly, confused. He smiled. "Well then... here we go." He opened the door, revealing hundreds, if not thousands of changelings congregated in a huge commons. I stopped.

"Altaïr... meet the Rebellion."
> Arc 2, Chapter 4: The Mission
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"...Rebellion?" I asked, turning to the changeling.

"Yeah. I know we may look bad, but not all changelings agree with Chrysalis' ideals." He began. "Everyone you see here despises Chrysalis, both her attitude and her methods." I nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "We tried to convince her that a hostile takeover would cause Equestria's supply of love to rapidly empty, but she wouldn't listen. After Equestria's defeat, she began believing herself to be a goddess, more powerful than all of the world's forces combined."

I wasn't entirely surprised by this. It was evident in our meeting she felt that she was the obvious superior.

"That's not all, either. She started preaching about changelings being the "master race," that all others should bow down to us." That shocked me. She was far more delusional than I had anticipated. "Surprised?" I stared at him. "Oh, right. You don't know, do you?"

"What don't I know?" I inquired. He smirked.

"Changelings can sense emotion. Of course, it's only within close proximity, or large amounts. That's how we know where to find food, and what places to avoid."

"Avoid? What would you need to avoid?" I pressed him for information. His serious expression returned.

"Changelings feed on positive emotion in general. Happiness, excitement, all that. Love is just the most powerful (and best tasting) emotion we feed on. Negative emotions, such as depression and fear, weaken and sicken us. Of the emotions we must avoid, the most hazardous is hatred. Hatred is a potent poison. If we consume too much of it, our bodies begin to shut down, and we die... rather painfully." he added that last part with a grimace.

"Fascinating..." I put a hoof to my chin. "But why are you trusting me with this information?" He paused, probably thinking about what I had asked.

"You've earned quite the reputation. There are plenty of rumors circulating about you, both here and in Equestria." I was about to speak up, but he continued before I was able to. "I'm honestly surprised you've kept such a low profile." he chuckled.

"...What have they been saying about me?" I was concerned about the effect these rumors would have on me once I was back in Equestria.

"You have nothing to worry about. Everything I've heard has been positive." Relief washed over me.

"I'm going to have to get used to your 'sensing emotion' ability." He laughed again. I smiled a little as well.

"By the way," he said as we turned to enter. I stopped, and turned to him. "My name's Motley. Co-leader of the Rebellion." I opened my mouth to respond, but no words were formed. He chuckled. "Well then... shall we?" he gestured towards the crowd of changelings before us. I nodded, and he led me inside, being sure to close the door behind us. There were numerous conversations occurring around the room, so not many noticed us enter. However, as we traversed the area, I felt the stares of some, and heard them whispering. We stopped at an elevated slab of stone, which he climbed on to.

"May I have your attention, please?" he announced from the rock, his voice traveling across the room and silencing all voices, leaving behind a tense silence. "Thank you." He paused for a second. "As you know, I've been delaying our action for some time now. It's about time I told you why." He turned to me. "Altaïr, could you come up here?" I did, and the congregation was instantly alive with whispers.

"Everyone, please." Slowly but surely, the silence returned. "This-" he gestured to me, "is Altaïr. He's the reason I've been postponing our plan. His aid will be invaluable in our task."

"Task?" I asked, turning to face him.

"I'm about to explain that." I nodded, turning back to the crowd before us. "Now, before we can do anything on the scale of the coup we have planned, we'll need all the help we can get. We're not a small force, but Chrysalis still has the numbers advantage. Thankfully, I have a solution." He paused again. "All we need to do is free the Elements of Harmony." A murmur swept through the crowd once again.

That statement in particular caused mixed feelings within me. I was relieved that they were alive, but there was an overwhelming sense of guilt as well, knowing their situation was ultimately my fault. These conflicting thoughts assaulted my mind, until a voice brought me back to reality.

"Altaïr, would you be willing to take on this task?" It was Motley's voice.

"It would be my honor," I responded quickly. He gave me a warm smile before turning back to the Rebellion army.

"Of course, I will not ask him to go alone. I need a small group of volunteers to accompany Altaïr. If you are willing, step forward now." At first, nothing. Then, one changeling stepped out of the crowd.

"I will."

A moment passed. Another changeling emerged.

"I'll go too."

Then, more stepped forth.

"If it means saving the world, I'll join you."

"If you'll have me, I will come."

"Let's get 'em back!"

Five. Five changelings came forward in total.

"...Is that everyone?" Nothing. "Alright." Motley turned to me. "Altaïr, are you willing to take them along with you?" I nodded. He game me a warm smile in response. "Thank you. We already have information that one of them is being held in Appleloosa. Going off of the spy's information, it's relatively low security. Well, as low as you can get with such a high-risk prisoner... Nonetheless, I'd advise you start there."

"Then that's where we'll begin. Thank you, Motley." I extended a hoof, and he returned the gesture. I turned to join my new team, but Motley stopped me.

"Hold on." He rushed over to a corner, and I saw him rearrange some stones and retrieve an object from under them. As he walked back over, I realized it was my sword. "I believe this belongs to you." He offered the blade to me.

"Yes, it does..." I took the sword and put it where it belongs: at my side. "How did you get it?" He flashed a wry smile.

"That's a secret." I returned his smile with a smirk of my own. I think he's starting to grow on me. "When you're ready, take your team and meet me at the far wall over there." He pointed to the wall opposite us. I nodded, and he jumped down from the rock, and set off towards our rendezvous point. I jumped down after him. The team of changelings approached me. They were more or less identical, with slight variations in height and build. The only major difference was their chitin; three were green, as the majority of the crowd was, but one of them had purple chitin, and the last was blue. I resolved to discuss this once we were on our way.

"I'd rather converse once we are outside. Is that alright with all of you?" They nodded. "Thank you." I started towards where Motley had gone, my party in tow. A path was cleared for us as we advanced. Eventually, I was facing the Rebellion co-leader again. He pushed in a section of the wall, revealing another tunnel.

"This is our alternate entrance and exit. It's lit by crystals, so getting through shouldn't be an issue. Just remember to close the door." He gave us a warm smile. "One more thing. I'll need you to report back to me every once in a while, just so we know you're alive. Don't want the army getting restless." I nodded in understanding. "Well... good luck."

"Thank you." My team and I walked through the doorway, being sure to close the door behind us.


Resistance Base


"So in order to defeat them, we need to free these Elements of Harmony?" The rest of the resistance heads had dispersed by now, leaving only me, Dash, and a tangerine pegasus named Wild Ace, sporting a flaming red mane and tail, contrasted by sky blue eyes. His cutie mark (by then Dash had explained what they were) was a speeding fireball, with a playing card (bearing what appeared to be a French suit) within it. They had just finished explaining their plan of action to me.

"That's right." Dash confirmed.

"In qualche modo questo è familiare..." I muttered to myself. "Do we know where any of them are?"

"Well... not all of them." Wild Ace said. "However, we have the locations of two. One of them is in Salt Lick City, and the other in Appleloosa. Salt Lick is closer, so we had decided to go there first." I nodded in understanding.

"Well then... who will be coming along?" I asked him.

"A few ponies. Myself, the commander," he gestured to Dash, "Lunar Glow..."

"Lunar Glow?" I inquired.

"Present." A feminine voice sounded behind me, causing me to whirl around. An indigo-coated unicorn mare with a beautifully contrasted light gray mane and tail returned my gaze with piercing emerald eyes. She began to walk past me towards Dash, and I caught a glimpse of her cutie mark: a crescent moon with a sword hilt attached to it. As to why, it was easy to make the connection. At her hip rested a crescent-shaped sword in its scabbard, similar to a Saracen scimitar in terms of size and shape.

"That's her." Ace said. "Lunar, this is Ezio. He'll be going with us." She stared at me, appraising me. Finally, she nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright then. Welcome aboard." She stated somewhat coldly.

"Right... and, uh... oh yeah, Ironhoof!" Ace said after a second.

"And who is that?" I asked him.

"Did I hear my name?!" A deep, gruff voice resounded from the basement.

"Yeah!" Dash called back. "How about you get up here and introduce yourself to our new companion?"

"On my way!" A large, light-gray pony emerged from the basement, an anvil and hammer adorning his flank. Upon seeing me, he began examining me. His gaze was cold, but it quickly warmed up as he smiled and stuck out his hoof. We shook hooves, and he took a step back.

"And who are you?" He asked me in a friendly manner.

"Ezio. Ezio Auditore." He nodded in approval.

"Well then," he turned to Dash. "Are we going?" Dash nodded in response.

"If we're all ready, then yes. Let's get going." Dash and the others started towards the door.

"Cominciamo." I followed them outside, prepared to begin our mission.