Let the fun begin

Shepard and company spent the rest of the day moping around the Canterlot palace with defeated looks on their faces, the day passed uneventfully otherwise which Shepard suspected would be the case, most assassins liked to work primarily at night. Celestia retired to her bed early, almost immediately after she had raised the moon from its daily position. Shepard took his place feeling his muscles sink into the accustomed positions, if there was something that he hated about stakeouts it was the way that his muscles cramped after sitting in one place for an hour. Slowly true silence fell within the castle, while he was waiting sitting there in the dark Shepard began to memorize the layout of the room and the position of every object within it. He’d already done it discreetly during the daylight hours, but night changes a room, it makes objects bigger, shadows longer, and the atmosphere changes adding a feeling of slight menace to the atmosphere.

The other part of this particular plan that Shepard didn’t like was that he had given himself the lead role. Ordinarily this wouldn’t be a problem; the problem was that to appear at all feminine Shepard had been forced to conceal himself in mare clothing. So he was covered in large blanket, and a floral bonnet to cover his face. Ash hadn’t been able to stop herself from snickering; she’d also mentioned something about bugs. At the stroke of midnight the door opposite Shepard creaked slightly as it opened, bringing his mind instantly alert. A pony backed by two griffins silently snuck into the room, long bladed knives easily visible in their belts. When they noticed Shepard apparently sleeping in front of the door in a small chair they chuckled to themselves, what could they have to fear from a solitary sleeping mare? They stepped closer and closer to Shepard. Stalking forward with all the grace of plow horses, they of course thought the opposite. One of the griffins reached to unsheathe his knife from his belt, but before his talons could touch the hilt Shepard pulled out his Carnifex and in a perfect imitation of Ash said.

“If your hooves touch metal then I swear by my pretty floral bonnet that I will end you!” The griffins stared at him for a moment before letting their talons drop to the side in defeat, the pony on the other hand looked at him in what appeared to be contempt.

“So the great Commander Ethan Shepard, I always heard that you were more connected to your feminine side, I just had no idea that you cross dressed too, how cute.” The pony said in one of the most gratingly cultured voice that Shepard had ever heard. “Tell me did you really think that this little charade would stop the greatest political upheaval in Equestrian history? My word I think you did, you actually think that you’ve won!” The pony then began to laugh, letting his pompous orange mane fall into his face as he shook with laughter; all the while Shepard let it play out, his face staying perfectly neutral. “What a poker face you have Shepard, but anyways we have kill teams slipping through every hallway and window in the palace, Celestia will be dead in a matter of minutes!” Finally Shepard laughed, it was a long hearty laugh, and then in one movement he shot both of the griffins in the head. As they slid down to the floor Shepard closed with the arrogant pony and punched him in the face before he could react, sending the blue coated idiot flying into the floor.

“Son I’ve been dealing with stupid arrogant little pricks like you for years, what your type don’t seem to realize is that your wealth and your power won’t protect you forever.” Shepard had been steadily applying pressure to the pony’s foreleg while he’d been talking and as he reached the word forever it broke with a quite snap causing the pony to scream in pain. “Now normally I wouldn’t be doing this to you, generally I’m a nice guy honest; if I took all the opportunities to cause pain then my kill tallies would be a lot longer. However I’m making an exception just for you, you should feel special. Ever since I’ve come here I’ve had this feeling that this place is perfect, there’s next to no violent crime, ruling class is fair and beloved by the commoners, and you little shits like you want to fuck it up just to further your lot in life? Well that makes me angry, very angry!” Shepard voice had dropped to a low venomous purr as he broke the second foreleg releasing another frenzied scream from his unwilling victim.

“Let me go!” The pony screamed he was close to hysterical at this point; Shepard leaned in close to his ear and pausing for empathies in between each word

“Who. Sent. You.”

“I don’t know, they never told us anything!” Shepard pulled out his Carnifex and prepared to shoot the pony in the head.

“Wrong answer!”

“Shepard stand down!” Arsenal had entered the room and once again the sound of a voice that sounded so like Anderson’s made Shepard stop in his tracks. “Commander just what in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m executing someone who’s worthless Captain.” Shepard replied calmly.

“Think Shepard you’ve already crossed several lines tonight with this act, do you really want to cross the last one and become a murderer?” A silent war went on in Shepard’s head as each side of his mind fought for dominance until he finally threw his Carnifex to the other side of the room in disgust.

“Thank you Arsenal, normally that’s my job.” Although he said it with sarcasm his voice shook ever so slightly.

“You are a mare Shepard!” the captive mumbled from his place on the ground, causing Arsenal to kick him in the face hard.

“Shut it you, I only saved you because we need you for questioning, apparently all the other kill team members were killed already.” Arsenal told Shepard with a shrug before he patted the Commander on the shoulder. “You should go and see the Princess, give her a situations report, clear your mind.” Shepard nodded silently and made his way over to the Princess’s door, picking up his Carnifex as he went. He found the White Princess sitting on her bed, with a pile of charred bodies lying around it.

“Commander, from the screams I assume things were satisfactory on your end?” Celestia asked him.

“Yes Ma’am and thank you for lifting the filter for me, the words needed to be said.”

“One time use Shepard, I can’t have you polluting the minds of Equestrian citizens with foul language.” She said it with a tight smile, a very tight smile, Shepard replied in kind.

AN
Yes, I did just make that reference

Next Chapter: When in doubt Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 51 Minutes