Blood Moon got no response. The eyes of every pony in the room fell to both him and Twilight. Some in fear, some confusion, some a noticeable hint of distaste, to put it politely. The assassin was used to the expressions. He looked right back at them, gauging their reactions. Twilight’s tale of what had happened last night had lent him their names, and he could only guess it was Twilight’s research that had given her his, now that he noticed he hadn’t actually told her his title.

The first he noticed were the orange and blue mare, Applejack and Rainbowdash, names most fitting of the mares. Applejack wore an expression of suspicion, yet a sort of...reluctant trust. An interesting combination. Protective yet weary. Smarter than she looked, this country mare. The rainbow mane and tailed mare was more suspicion than anything else, her eyes narrowed none too subtly at him. No doubt his assumption yesterday had been right, she was one of the most protective members of the group.

‘Trust, it seems, is lacking’the assassin thought as he turned his attention away from the two mares.

A little besides the Pegasus and earth ponies, a unicorn of white fur sat with another Pegasus of yellow fur. Rarity and Fluttershy, he presumed. Yet another pair of names well earned. Fluttershy was the only pony in the room not staring at him, instead she had her face hidden by her extensive pink mane, cowering most likely. Twilight’s short description of her butter yellow friend was all he needed to know that this mare’s attitude to new ponies was...reclusive, at best. Rarity, meanwhile, was watching him with wide, nervous eyes, likely unsure of what to think of him.

The last to find his gaze was the pinkest pony of the group. Pinkie Pie. Blood Moon wasn’t even going to comment about how much that name fitted her. Internally, the assassin frowned, recognising the mare from his small battle in market. She had been the one with the straight, pink mane and tail, holding Fluttershy. Now, however, her mane and tail was...well, ‘poofy’ was the only way to describe her mane, undoubtedly smelling of cotton candy. Despite this rather happy-looking exterior, she held him in a gaze of uncertainty; apparently she was undecided whether to throw him a ‘thank you for saving Ponyville’ party on gallop for the hills in fear.

Blood Moon’s eyes went over the rest of the room, only now taking into consideration the fillies gathered around with the mares. Three between the six, they were sat close by the mares, and undoubtedly the fillies Twilight had brushed upon before. The first was an earth pony, sat next to Applejack. She was of bright yellow fur, her mane and tail a slightly unkempt red, a pink bow keeping the mane in check. Her eyes were of a light orange, filled with a confliction of fear and curiosity. Blood Moon could see the resemblance between the two earth ponies, no doubt one of the sisters that Twilight had mentioned.

The second was a unicorn filly, Rarity holding her to her chest in her fore-hooves. She had very light grey fur, her mane and tail a well kept and curly two-tone dark violet and pale pink. Her eyes, as confused and scared as her fellow filly, were a soft, light green.

The third and final filly in the room was a Pegasus. She sat with Rainbowdash, the mare pulling her closer when she spotted Blood Moon observing her. She was of an orange coat and wings. Blood Moon couldn’t help but frown at the under-developed muscles on both wings, not to mention the delicate looking wings for her age. Normally by her age she’d have given them a good battering by learning to fly. Looking away from the curious case of the filly’s wings, he found a windswept mane and tail, not too different from his own unkempt mane and tail of the mare holding her, only their hairs were much shorter than his. They were a dark purple, her eyes a lighter shade of the same colour. The assassin looked between the two winged ponies, finding no real resemblance between them. Another eyebrow raising feature of this filly.

Looking away from the fillies and mares, he soon found Sand Stalker, sat in a corner with his fore-legs crossed over his chest. He seemed to be watching the other ponies in the room, though Blood Moon got the impression that it was no coincidence that his chosen spot gave him the best vantage point of Rainbowdash over all the other ponies, if Twilight’s short explanation of their relationship was anything to go by.

Done with taking in the ponies, the killer felt it prudent to say something. That was, until, he heard a familiar voice say his name.

"Blood Moon" the voice asked. The assassin scanned the room; he felt a hope in him he thought was rather out of place, all things considered, but couldn’t deny the relief he felt when his eyes fell upon them.

"Ditzy, Dinky" he said, cantering over to them with a small with a small smile on his face. He wrapped his fore-legs around both filly and mare, that he’d managed to protect the pair of them relieving a weight on his chest he hadn’t noticed before.

‘Old habits die hard I guess’ the assassin thought as he released the two, taking a step back and looking over them, hoping to confirm to himself that they were, indeed, unscathed. He was glad to find that the only blemish on them was the sleepy bags under Ditzy’s eyes.

"Are you alright" the mare asked looking over his bandages "we saw the flames miles away…are you hurt." Blood Moon smiled slightly at the concern before something she’d said struck him.

"Miles, how far did you go?"

"We went to north, like you said, a little ways to Cloudsdale before we came back." She took another look over her new found special somepony. "Are you ok" she asked again, prompting a small smirk from the assassin.

"I've had worse than this, trust me on that." Ditzy pouted a little.

"How come you get to worry about me but I don't get to worry about you" she asked, reminding the assassin of a filly slightly. He couldn't help but laugh at the absurd question.

"Because, I have experience with this kind of thing, when I start having trouble with delivering mail, then you can start worrying" he told her, getting a small giggle from her. The stallion turned his attention to the filly beside the mare and lowered his head to her "and how are you…" he asked, finding it impossible to mask the concern in his voice. Blood Moon always had had an unlimited reserve of concern for a foal he liked. Dinky didn't answer at first, instead grabbing the assassin and hugging tightly.

"I-I was really scared when the fire started" she told him. Blood Moon admired her courage in admitting her fear; he knew from experience that most fillies and colts acted brave around adults, and generally those just older than them, and found it hard to swallow their pride when it came to this sort of thing. The dark stallion returned the hug before straightening up and looking at the pair who had so readily taken him into their lives, the pair he now found himself caring for so greatly. He wondered how he would have reacted if he had found them injured…or worse. He doubted the Changeling race would have survived much longer.

"Well, I'm glad you're both alright” he told them, caressing the pleasant nerves behind the mares ears. Ditzy seemed to enjoy his touch, but enjoyed the kiss he planted on her lips even more. He pulled back and gave her a classic lady-killer smirk. The mailmare gave a cute blush in return, looking away in slight bashfulness. Looking down at the filly and tussling her mane, prompting a giggle from her, the assassin looked back to the rest of the occupants of the room. Rainbowdash had an unimpressed eyebrow raised, Applejack a look of equally unimpressed amusement, Rarity, Pinkie and the fillies were wearing small blushes, Fluttershy was still hidden behind her mane while Twilight just raised an eyebrow as she noticed the change in the assassin’s demeanour. Sand Stalker had just grunted and shook his head.

With the charm well and truly turned on, the assassin figured it was time to get this under way.

With the ice more or less broken, the ponies retreated to their own activities. Blood Moon decided that Fluttershy was first on his list, wanting to thank her for her help last night. She was sat with Rarity and her little sister, still sitting nervously behind her mane. He approached her steadily, deliberately, making sure to make no sudden movements around the obviously scared mare.

When he stood before her, she only curled up tighter, retreating deeper inside herself.

"Fluttershy isn't it" he asked, his voice gentle and calm, though he doubted its horse and dark nature helped. To confirm this, she curled up even tighter. Leaning his head down to her level, he used a voice he normally kept for small animals and scared fillies. "I believe it was you who insisted that my well being was seen to" he posed, his gentle manner seeming to calm the mare slightly. He got a squeak in response. It was progress, he guessed. "You have my thanks" he told her simply before he straightened up again. He decided that this was a mare who didn’t much like his company, so he felt it best that he not stretch this out. As he went to turn away, he heard a small voice.

"Y-you're welcome" the butter furred mare spoke up. That said, perhaps 'spoke' was the wrong word, considering she spoke in a tone that even the perceptive ears of the assassin had trouble picking up. Blood Moon turned back to her again, leaning his head down to her once more.

"Why show me this kindness" he asked with genuine curiosity in his tone. The assassin had already asked this of Twilight Sparkle, but he was unsatisfied with the answer he had gotten from her. Nopony simply ‘helped’ a stallion like him.

"W-well you would have been all cold out there, all alone" she offered.

‘I would have bled to death, more like’ the assassin thought. It was clear that this mare was uncomfortable around the idea of serious wounds and was reluctant to mention it. Ironic, really, considering she was one of the only mares here who had any medical knowledge, maybe save Twilight

"A-and I couldn't just leave you out there like that, a-after what you did" she continued to a surprised assassin.

“What I did?” She peeked from around her mane a little.

“W-well you did help my friends protect Ponyville.” She looked down again. “E-even if you did...do...what you...did” she squeaked. Blood Moon gave a small smile of admiration of this mare’s courage in the face of fear.

“Well, Fluttershy, for that” he raised a hoof and pushed her mane out of her face, looking upon her. Fluttershy realised what he’d done, glanced at his face so close and squeaked again, hiding behind her hooves. “You have my thanks” he finished. Fluttershy peeked from behind her hooves again, giving him a small, apocalyptically adorable smile. Blood Moon gave his own in return before he leaned in and spoke quietly into her ear. “Y’know, you should really stop hiding behind your mane. You’re obstructing a beautiful view” he told her, prompting a pink blush from the mare and another squeak as he moved back. A small grin still on his face, the assassin straightened up again and looked around. Deciding to work with proximity order, his next target was Rarity.

Turning to his left, the assassin found the white furred mare watching him; she was clutching her little sister tight to her chest, a fearful and unsure look on her face, while the filly hid her face in her sister's body and held her back all the more tightly. The fashionista gave a small, unsteady smile, trying and failing to calm herself under the assassin’s, admittedly, rather laidback gaze.

“Morning” the assassin began, bowing his head gently. Rarity’s mouth opened and closed a few times before she finally managed to get words out.

"G-good morning” she returned “I-I don't believe we've been formally introduced" the unicorn mare stammered "I am Rarity a-and this is my little sister, Sweetie belle." Blood Moon raised an eyebrow in thought as he scanned his memory for something he felt was familiar.

"Rarity” he began slowly, still searching his memory before he realised where he knew her name from “I believe I saw some of your works in Canterlot on one occasion" the assassin told her, remembering a fashionista he had once put a scare into for stealing the designs of another fashionista. Not the most common of contracts, but a contract all the same. Blood Moon hoped that by appealing to her passion and talent, his efforts to win her over would be a little easier on him. Cocking his head and giving her an impressed look, he finished with "most impressive." His efforts pay off as the mare straightens up and gives him an appreciative smile.

"My, I-I didn't take you for a stallion with an eye for fashion" she admitted to him. Blood Moon had met many pretty mares over his life, but he had to admit, Rarity was one of a kind. As soon as she stepped inside her comfort zone, a definite glow returned to the mare as she got more comfortable around him. The assassin couldn't help but admire the beauty her slim yet toned body, pretty and well-made face, glamorous mane and tail and manner gave off. Blood Moon took note of the seamstress’s manner and posture, apparently trusting him enough to have released her little sister, or Sweetie-Belle, and look at him properly. Blood Moon cocked his head gently, shooting her a grin with enough of a roughish quality to pickpocket her. The assassin knew he was by no means handsome, but he certainly knew how to play to a mare’s weaknesses to make himself more appealing. Roguish charm was often the way to go with such endeavours.

"All good assassins have an eye for detail my lady." The mare practically swooned at his words.

"M-my, quite the mare killer aren't we" Rarity said with a flirtatious bat of her eyelashes. Blood Moon simply chuckled as he lowered his voice until only him and her could hear him.

“Oh, how I’d love to take a contract out on you” he answered suggestively. This time, Rarity nearly fainted. Blood Moon then looked down at the filly, resting on his front before her. “Hello there, Sweetie-Belle, isn’t it?” The filly nodded her head silently, watching him with wide, curious eyes. Blood Moon couldn’t help but adore that look on a foal’s face, especially new-borns who thought everything was awesome. “Tell me, Sweetie-Belle, your name and face are as pretty as the night sky” the filly blushed “is your voice just as beautiful?” The filly almost followed her sister to the land of dreams. Her maw opened and shut a few times before she managed to form words.

“I-I-I don’t know” she answered. Blood Moon smirked and shot her a wink.

“That’ll be yes” he told her, the filly blushing once more, turning her head away to hide it.

Standing up again, Blood Moon caught the look Sand Stalker was sending his way; a wry smirk and raised eyebrow. As the assassin trotted away from Rarity, Fluttershy and Sweetie-Belle, he passed the merc and muttered:

“If you think that’s some game, you should see me playing ping-pong.” The mercenary couldn’t beat back the growing smirk on his face as he looked to the ceiling to escape the laughter building up in him. After the short fiasco, the assassin made his way over to the second pair of sisters, both of which looked up at him as he approached.

"Howdy" the elder greeted him simply, tipping her hat.

"Mornin' pardner" the assassin responded straight faced. The two continued to stare each other down, Blood Moon letting a lopsided grin stretch across his face while a smile Applejack couldn’t hold down steadily grew on her face, finding it impossible to stay straight faced after watching assassin and Rarity’s ‘conversation’. Before long, the farmhoof spoke up.

"Ah suppose a thankin' is in order" the mare sighed as she ran a hoof through her younger sibling's mane, gazing down at her. Blood Moon shrugged.

"Think nothing of it" he told her. The mare chuckled.

"Not many folk out there how would go sayin' 'think nothin' of it' to fightin' off a bunch ah changelings" Applejack drawled. Blood Moon grunted.

"Not many ponies are me...besides" he took a moment to look down at the filly who was gazing up at him with wide eyes, before he ran a hoof of his own her mane with a gentleness he reserved for foals and foals only. The filly seemed against the idea at first but she soon noticed how soothing his touch seemed to be and let him continue. "I know what it's like to lose a filly close to you." The whole room seemed to go quiet at this comment and all eyes were locked on the assassin who had gone misty eyed as old memories came creeping back to him as he continued to tussle the filly's mane. After a few seconds Blood Moon abruptly turned away and trotted slowly over to where his most challenging target was sat; Rainbowdash. Though, as he trotted, nopony could truly see the dark cloud hanging over his head. When he stood before her, Rainbowdash looked up at him with a spiteful look on her face.

"What do you want" was the rainbow coloured mare's greeting. The stallion suddenly felt very frustrated.

"To make peace." He was blunt and frank with this mare, something about her putting him in no mood to be prancing around the point. There was something about this mare that put him at the end of his fuse.

"Yeah right, you don't fool me" she told him, eyes narrowed. She also seemed to subconsciously pull in the filly. The assassin noticed and recognised a weakness. He turned his head down to the foal and looked her over for a few seconds; now that he looked over their close proximity and the elder’s protective nature, Blood Moon figured out the relationship between the two.

‘Adoptive sisters.’

"You care for her greatly, don't you." A statement not a question. The mare looked down at the filly in her fore-hooves and for a second, Blood Moon saw her facial expression turn from suspicion and, put kindly, hatred to one of care and affection.

"You keep her out of this" Rainbowdash hissed suddenly as she looked up at the killer.

"I should know" he continued like she hadn't said anything "I practically raised two foals myself, fillies to boot, before we grew apart" he paused and took in the once again very silent atmosphere before he approached a sensitive topic "orphaned?" He watched as both the filly and mare's eyes welled up at the mention of the subject of being parentless. It was all the answer he needed. Figuring this stallion had experience with orphans and foals, Rainbowdash decided it was okay to talk to him about something he obviously already knew about. As her memories filled her mind, Scootaloo feeling the same pain, she grit her teeth against the tears. That wouldn’t do her rep any good.

"M-me and Scootaloo lost our parents pretty young, we both had nopony for a while” she told him. The original plan had been to tell him that and nothing else, but once the floodgates had opened, it was difficult to close them again under the rush and she soon found herself spilling her guts to him. “It was some time before I found Twi and everypony and Scoots found Applebloom and Sweetie-Belle, but beyond that we’ve never really had any family..." she trailed off as the filly in her grip tightened her hold on her would-be big sister.

Around the library, the rather heart wrenching exchange with an air of strange unease; the Elements of Harmony had always known that Rainbowdash had been on her own since a young age but nopony had ever approached her about it, given how touchy she was around the subject. The same went for Scootaloo, only it was more in fear of upsetting the filly that stopped them from talking about it. There was also the way Rainbowdash was acting right now; Twilight couldn't help but wonder how this stallion had managed to get through to the hard-headed Pegasus in such a way that had her clutching her adoptive little sister so tightly, tears threatening to spill and wings wrapped around her little sister. Despite the tune the scene was playing on her heartstrings, she couldn't help but find it somewhat adorable.

“Friends weren't enough, would never be enough for somepony in your position…you needed family and that's where you both came into it" Blood Moon eventually finished for her, filling in the gaps for himself. Rainbowdash simply nodded. The assassin watched as the mare and filly continued to hold one-another as they compensated for the other's loss. "You were wrong you know" the mare looked up at the stallion in confusion "if your search for family continues, or if you’re just feeling alone..." he cocked his head and a gave a sympathetic grin "look no further than the sand." The Pegasus was confused with the last remark but said nothing anyway. As he took a step back, the assassin looked to the mercenary as he straightened and found that the merc had his eyes narrowed in an expression of grudging thanks.

Blood Moon then proceed to turn to his next target…only to find her staring directly at him. Her face an inch away from his. Leaning his head back, the pink mare responding by following him backwards, Blood Moon soon found himself rather uncomfortable. And this was coming from a stallion who’d once made eye contact when using the urinal.

“Hi” Blood Moon said slowly, raising his hoof and putting it to the mare’s smiling muzzle, slowly pushing her back so he could stand without having to limbo.

"Hi there, I'm Pinkie Pie" 'Pinkie Pie' told the assassin. Blood Moon nodded once.

“Yes...I gathered” he answered. They stood in silence for a while before Pinkie cocked her head.

“Aren’t you gonna be all charming with me?” Blood Moon blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re excused” she answered, beaming. Blood Moon sighed a defeated sigh.

‘So this is what happened to that genetically enhanced taco...’

“You know, Pinkie, the last time I met somepony like you, I was in an insane asylum” he said pleasantly. Pinkie looked shocked.
“Hey, that’s a coinkiedink, the last time I met somepony like me I was in an insane asylum too! Of course, I wasn’t an inmate there, i was meeting an old friend of mine, Stanley, the talking grape!” The assassin had the sudden urge to go find a dark corner, sit down in it and cry and for a little while. "Y'know, you remind me of my daddy" Pinkie told Blood Moon suddenly, who, like most of the other ponies in the library, frowned.

"I…what?"

"You remind me of my daddy; you're dark coloured, he's dark coloured, you're pretty old, he's pretty old and both of you are pretty grumpy" Pinkie Pie explained in a voice that was way too cheery for what she was talking about. As she spoke Blood Moon watched as she got less and less… perhaps the only way to describe it was 'Pinkie-ish'. He soon realised that he had to pull her out of this thought track before she became a mass a blubbering equine.

"You know Pinkie, I still haven’t been my charming self to you yet" he told her, in an effort to change the subject.

"I know” she replied brightly “I don’t mind.”

“Well that’s good, because I can’t think of anything to complement you on” he said nonchalantly. Pinkie suddenly deflated, her mane losing its ‘poof’, yet not going straight as her lower lip wobbled, her eyes going damp as she sat on her flank.

“You’re a meanie-pants” she told him, her expression breaking the assassin’s heart a little. Blood Moon got a sudden stroke of genius as a smile grew on his face, leaning in and whispering into her ear. Pinkie Pie's face turned from its hurt expression to a puzzled frown, a confused gape of her mouth, her head looking down in thought and, as the assassin got to the last words of whatever he was telling to the party pony, she exploded into laughter as Blood Moon leaned back pleased with himself.

"What did you tell her" Rainbowdash asked in confusion.

"Well since there are young ears present I'll spare you the details but what I will tell you is that it consisted of; a bucket, a pickaxe, five goats, a bandit and five gallons of cider, none of which was consumed via the gullet." Everypony in the room gave a synchronised 'huh' as they watched the stallion sit there smirking to himself and Pinkie Pie roll around on the floor howling to herself as she held her sides.

He waited a second for Pinkie to stop laughing, the pink part pony laying on her back, still giggling a little as she gazed at the ceiling.

“I’ve totally gotta tell the Cakes that” she said absently. Blood Moon held a hoof out for her, pulling her to her hooves. When she was upright again, the assassin kept her ear close to his mouth as he whispered to her.

“I was lying just now you know; you’ve got a beautiful plot” he told her casually. Pinkie’s pink posterior twitched gently at the compliment, her pink face growing all the pinker.

Leaning back with a grin on his face, the assassin took a few steps back before he looked around the room.

“Well then, now that we’re all friends” the assassin said, trailing off.

The rest of the day went by without much drama, though in light of his happy and light hearted thoughts and emotions he knew that all good things came to a close and this particular close was heralded by Blood Moon's realisation that somepony had wanted to rip these mare apart. His eyes narrowed at the thought of the six ponies turning their backs on each other. He gritted his teeth at the idea of six real friends being pulled apart for someponyelse's twisted gain. His blood boiled when he thought of them lying cold and alone. His hatred roared when he thought of them getting away with it. His question held; who would want Twilight dead? The answer was in the form of a pony and the grin he formed when he thought of what he would do to them, would have made Celestia, Luna and Discord quake in fear at the simple memory of it.

As he trotted back to Ditzy's home, Dinky riding on his back, he thought about what had happened during his relatively short time here. He had arrived with the intent to kill somepony, then he had met his target, befriended her and chosen not to kill her. And now, he had a new quest. He had a new contract.

Find who had wanted Twilight Sparkle dead, and return the favour.