Blood Moon galloped. Getting away from the battle had been simple, with the easy use of the Umbra Linguam spell 'hide' he knew what the ponies in the crowd would have seen: the shadows creeping up his person, like a drop of water moving up the leg, becoming a shade of unnaturally dark black; the colour of midnight or the shade of shadow, a colour that was not supposed to be worn by the ponies of Equestria. The spell was similar to the spell 'walk' but where walk was a spell that caused the caster to be able to traverse the environment as their silhouette, one of the few spells that did not need shadows to work effectively as in this particular spell would be cancelled should the caster move into deep shade where their own could not be seen. The hide spell, on the other hoof, was quite the opposite; it allowed the unicorn that used the spell to be able to literally become 'one with the shadows' as they hid and obscured the pony from the view of others and allowed them to move within the gloom. The assassin had used his spell to get away from the mass of ponies, as he had many times before, and then taken to the side streets and back alleys, trying to find a place to rest.

For two hours the stallion had moved, not risking a pause, all the while looking over his shoulder. The assassin had been foolish; he did not regret helping the mare but wished he'd at least been a little more...subtle about it. Public chaos and sending messages were two things he was well versed in, but that had been sloppy: they'd heard his voice, been given good reason to go for the guards and he doubted word would take long to spread. He also wished he knew more about this small town, Ponyville not being a place that assassins roamed to any great degree; he wished he had a better idea of these back streets, wished he had an idea how of many guards patrolled the roads and protected the buildings. The darkly clad pony narrowed his eyes in frustration as he continued to move, now at a canter rather than a gallop, as he knew the streets of a larger town such as Manehatten much more effectively; the assassin knew he would be able to traverse the streets, rooftops and even the insides of some of the buildings with his eyes closed. But this blasted town; he didn't know where to find a simple dark corner or-

The assassin halted his pace and looked slowly to his left with a slightly disgruntled look on his face

'Note to self: hurt pony who felt it a good idea to put this bar in this spot' the killer thought to himself as he looked back at the quiet and removed bar that looked at him. Blood Moon knew that if buildings were ponies then this one would be leaning back with a smug look on its face. The small looking tavern was honest and quaint, the walls made up of light brown planks, the windows having brick around them while the roof was made of thatching. The pub was called 'The hoof and anvil' the bar's sign being an iron hoof suspended in a 'U' shape with the stereotypical anvil silhouette held inside it.

Trotting through the door of iron, the assassin looked around and found that the inside was much the same as the outside; the same wooden planks that made up the walls made up the floors, the bar was a deep brown oak, dulled silver nozzle scattered along the length of it and bar stools up against it. The place did have a strange feel to it however; for the most part it was your average, friendly boozer, with pleasant looking ponies (who seemed oblivious to the events of the market place) sat around drinking cider and wine. These ponies held the middle of the bar, wooden tables with chairs or piles of hay around them; the walls, red cushion sofas that were slightly battered and un-kept that had long tables between them in a booth like style; and the bar, simple iron stools that leaned against the place the drinks were distributed. The corners, however, belonged to the shadier of the patrons and this is where Blood Moon sat, a strong, spicy and hard cider in a metal tankard in his hoof as he looked around the pub, getting to know the patrons. The corners were infinitely more interesting, the place that Blood Moon himself sat being a dark and slightly damp spot where little light would reach, the assassin blending into the background seamlessly but then, if he could not remain unnoticed in a dark corner, he had been in the wrong job throughout most of his life. The other three corners belonged to ponies of similar dubious qualities; in the corner across the room, an orange fur and black mane and tailed stallion sat, eying the crowd.

'Some kind of thug' the assassin concluded from the broken snout and mean look on his face. The corner to his left held a group of ponies; a pair of stallions, one of dirty cream fur and sky blue mane and tail, the other of brown and slightly dirty fur and an equally dirty bronze mane and tail. The others around that table were mares; around four of them, all of which seemed to be the marefriends of these 'gangsters' but looked a little uncomfortable. The assassin grew less interested with this group; they seemed to be discussing how to move bootleg cider out of Baltimare, something the assassin felt fruitless given the lack of profit to be made with such an enterprise. Fire berries, an illegal import from the Griffon kingdom, was where the money was. The dark stallion looked over the rest of the bar until his eyes found something that caught his attention. At the corner to his left, the corner closest to the bar, a stallion with dark yellow, mustard if you will, fur sat, a black beanie on his head and a black mane peeking out the back in a short ponytail. This stallion had an eye patch on his left eye and three scars going along his features, going from his left ear, across his left eye (no doubt that was what caused him to lose it) and slashing over his mouth. His remaining eye had the colour of smoke about it, a very deep grey that was capable of matching Blood Moon's eye for intimidation and its deep stare. The stallion had a pair of powerful wings on his back, the same colour as his body; they seem to be damaged slightly, a few missing feathers here and there but remained looking strong. The stallion's cutie mark was a scimitar's silhouette against a setting sun. The same weapon was strapped to his back. The whole image; weapon, scars, muscled physic, hard eye and cutie mark said one thing to the assassin. Mercenary. The soldier of fortune looked over the bar, much the same way the assassin had done, and saw the killer looking at him. The merc spotted a fellow fighter and nodded, in doing so giving the assassin a brief look into his eye; bloodshed, loss, a burnt out fire for vengeance and loyalty spoke to the assassin and he put the picture together:

'His family was killed when he was on duty in the equestrian army, when he got back he was at a loss in the world and went back to the forces, there his anger took over and he was dishonourably discharged before he became a mercenary' the assassin figured as he continued to gaze at the merc. He knew this stallion had blood on his hooves but he seemed descent, didn't kill anypony he wasn't ordered to kill and no mares or foals so he didn't want to kill him despite him not having a very well-looked upon form of work. The ex-soldier stood and trotted for the exit. Meanwhile the thug in the corner, who had been apparently watching him, stood and intercepted him.

"Problem, colt" the older stallion asked the thug.

"Just one; you see a few friends of mine have just been cut down by some new stallion earlier today, so I figure: well I ain't seen this guy before and he's got a sword, maybe he know something about it. Well how 'bout it gramps, got something to tell me" the thug asks the old mercenary, obviously accusing the stallion for the death of the ponies that had Blood Moon most likely just killed. He doesn't get an answer from the merc, just one of Blood Moon's throwing knifes in his left fore-leg. The assassin wasn't about to let something he did come off on another pony, experienced fighter or not, it just wouldn't sit right in his stomach. Nor his pride. Everypony in the bar looks over at the new assailant with mixed expressions, none of which are taken in by the stallion stood in a hood and cloak with a blade in his magical grip.

"I believe you're looking for me" Blood Moon calls over, his voice sending shivers down the spine of everypony but himself and the mustard merc. The stallion shifts a little.

"What do you mean, I'm looking for you" the thug replies as he pulls the blade out of his leg with his right fore-hoof.

"I think, son, he means he is the one that killed your little friends" the merc explains in his strained voice "not myself." The stallion looked between the older and younger killers before realising he was out matched, dropping the knife to the ground as he gallops out of the bar. Both armed stallions look at each other in understanding and quickly follow suit.

"You sure that was a good idea, colt" the merc asks the assassin as they trot quickly away from the bar.

"Not really, but I get the feeling he was the kind of pony to get his flank handed to him a lot, so the way I figure it, nopony will know the difference" the assassin replies glancing, over his shoulder. The merc grunts at the comment.

"Kid, do I know you" the merc asks as they turn into and stop in a secluded alleyway, to talk more freely.

"Depends, do I know you" Blood Moon replies, lowering his head so the hood obscures more of his face. The merc grunts.

"I'm called Sand Stalker, blade for hire extraordinaire; I deal in open combat, espionage and aerial combat, native to Saddle Arabia." He tells the assassin readily, like he can trust Blood Moon.

"You gave that up easily" the assassin comments. 'Sand Stalker' gives a small huff.

"I'd recognize somepony on the wrong side of the law any day, colt, I know your about as honest as a con-stallion when it comes to your work" Sand Stalker retorts in a flat manner. The assassin shrugs before he speaks.

"Well you've got me there. Blood Moon, assassin for hire these last few years. I'm sure you've heard of me" the killer tells an impressed looking mercenary.

"I'll be. You're the Hunter aren't you" Sand Stalker says, a little shocked at the fact he is now stood face to face with what amounts to a living legend. Or a trotting wanted poster.

"I am, now, I'm new to this whole...Ponyville shtick; is there anything an old-hoof such as you can tell me about this place" the assassin asks the elderly fighter, always looking for information. Blood Moon wasn't looking for contacts here but he felt that knowing the more important points of a place that had never really held much of his interest would be useful. The mercenary takes a second to think before answering.

"Only this: look out for six mares; Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbowdash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity. They sort of protect this place between them, also, you should know-"

"Excuse me" a small voice interrupts, it sounds innocent and, somehow, a little cute and clumsy, like its owner is accident prone. The two stallions turn to find a grey Pegasus mare that only one of them recognizes. Blood Moon looked at the Pegasus; his well-trained eyes picking out that she didn't seem to be looking at them directly, for whatever reason, her eyes not fully open, she seemed to be having trouble breathing like she was out of breath, her body seemed loose as if she was feeling defeated or relived; his well-trained ears hearing the deep breaths that were laced with sorrow and, much the way she held herself, relief; but it was his fine nose that picked up her smell, the scent of unwashed sex. The assassin gritted his teeth slightly as he remembered the way he found the mare.

"We'll continue this later" the assassin told the mercenary with an air of finality, not taking his eyes off the mare. The old stallion didn't reply, obviously noting the shift in the wind between the two. It was likely he had also noticed the smell clinging to her stubbornly. The Pegasus and unicorn watched the mercenary trot away from them, in the direction of the town market, before they turned to each other. The assassin breathed deeply through his snout before he spoke up. "Follow me" he told the mare.

Ditzy Doo complied as she trotted behind him. Unbeknownst to the mailmare, the pair were moving through the streets not passing anypony due to the efforts of the stallion leading the way, not wishing to meet into anypony that may have witnessed or heard of the events in the market and hoof the stallion and mare that was with him over to the guards. Blood Moon lead the mare towards a stream to the south, when they arrived, after what should have been fifteen minutes of trotting made half an hour longer by the assassin's detours, the assassin looked over to the mare with a concerned look on his hidden face.

"Let's get you cleaned up" he told the mare nodding at the stains that still adorned her flank. Ditzy Doo looked back at herself before looking back to the stallion. She didn't say anything, but she was confused and grateful; this stallion had just met her and he was already looking out for her, and with no reason either. It made her feel nice, like she was finally being accepted by somepony. The mare put her hoof in the flowing water timidly, to test the water, before doing a small leap into the shallow and gentle stream. Blood Moon looked over her as she cleansed herself, watching her with a 'big brother' like quality; protecting, concerned and reassuring. Ditzy Doo felt strangely comforted by his presence.

"I-I wanted to thank you for what you did" she told him, not looking straight at him; she didn't want him to see her eyes yet, she wanted to have a friend for a little while before he left: like everypony else did to her.

"It's fine, just doing what's right" he replied, still watching the mare he knew would likely never be the same again. To Ditzy, his voice was strange; the natural fear that it invoked was not so much gone, more diluted, toned down but still present. He also had a noteworthy hint of care in the way he spoke.

"What's your name" Ditzy asked quietly. The assassin considered not answering, or giving a fake name. In the end he decided against it, having no reason to distrust the mare.

"Blood Moon."

"Blood Moon" Ditzy repeated quietly, rolling the name around her mouth, getting a feel for it. She looked back over at the stallion that had saved her from the two of the ponies that had made her youth a misery; he was sat on his hind quarters but beyond that couldn't get a good look at him, she attempted to take in his looks but the hood covered most of his face in shadow and all she could make out was a scar on his chin and his eyes. As she looked at blood red eyes she felt him staring her down, his gaze reaching into her soul, before she broke the lock of eyes. "Fitting" she told him. Blood Moon smiled at her comment, chuckling a few times to himself. "What's the joke" Ditzy asked the stallion, her own lips curling up in laughter at as she watched him continue to chuckled bemusedly at her observation.

"I don't know" he admitted. And he didn't, it was just the way she said it; like she was being completely honest in her observation or maybe it was because the comment she'd made was all the funnier with her cute, clutzy voice. The assassin opened his eyes to a very welcome sight; the mare was giggling to herself, most likely at the image of a stone cold assassin chuckling to himself like he'd just remembered an old joke, and it was one of the most reliving sights he had ever seen. After they had both finished with their little amused noises, they looked at each other again for a second before Blood Moon noticed something about the mare's eyes. For once it was not the window to the soul that he noticed but the eyes themselves. He recognised the unfocused gaze as 'fractum oculus nervus' and suddenly a lot of things made sense.

'She's picked on for this, isn't she' the assassin thought as he leaned in, his mouth opened a little in disbelief. Ditzy noticed this and she turned her head away, obstructing his view. The air became tense between the two as the mailmare busied herself with cleaning the bulk of the stains from her flank. Minuets passed as she did this but she found herself unable to reach a spot on her back; not a second later did she hear the loosening of Blood Moon's clothing. She looked over just as he placed himself in the cool water and edged over to her giving her a lopsided smile. Ditzy Doo could properly see his face now and she wasn't all together sure what she got; he had deep wrinkles around his eyes, maw and on his brow.

'Worry lines I think their called' she thought as she looked at the rest of his features; he could be considered average but as she was captured by his eyes again, she felt he was anything but average.

"Need a hoof" he asked, bringing Ditzy from her thoughts.

"Uhhh y-yeah" she replied as she realised that they were both washing together now, within a few hours of knowing each other.

"You know, I don't think I got your name" Blood Moon told her as he searched his memories for said information and coming up with nothing.

"Ditzy, I'm called Ditzy Doo" she replies.

"Ditzy Doo" the assassin repeats, smiling as he says it "I like it" he says with sincerity; he didn't say it aloud but he found it cute.

Ditzy tensed slightly at his touch,; it completely betrayed his persona of darkness, shadows and the ability to kill, coming out in a soft and caring caress rather than the rough and violent feel she had expected. Ditzy suddenly found lewd thoughts and ideas going through her mind as the stallion cleaned her back. She wished that she hadn't gotten everything off her flank for one. Suddenly, she felt herself being spun and her eyes opened in shock, before she could close her eyes again she was face to face with him, not two inches away from each other, as Blood Moon looking straight into her eyes.

"I knew it" he said looking at her eyes before pulling back a little "the stallions…they bullied you because of this, didn't they" the mare didn't answer "didn't they" he repeats, this time with more force. Ditzy nods her head rapidly; her eyes now squeezed shut against the new tears that threatened to spill, they didn't fall through but her eyes opened, once again in shock, as she felt the soft embrace around her; she was facing his strong chest and could feel him stroking the back of her mane in a soothing fashion. She melted into his hug and found herself liking the sensation of being held by a stallion, it made her feel liked, it gave her the sensation of having a friend, it made her feel good about herself. Made her feel loved. "I'm sorry" he said simply, his deep voice rumbling from her vantage point against him.

"For what" she asks the stallion's chest "you didn't do anything."

"Maybe but…" he ended the hug and sat again on his flank before continuing "It just doesn't seem right or fair, somepony being picked on because of one thing about them that's out of their control" as he spoke, Ditzy could feel something welling in her chest; this was only the second pony, Dinky Hooves being the first, that had actually understood what was wrong with her and then going so far as to accept her despite it. "That, and I hate bullies" he continued with a lethal look in his eyes. Ditzy just swallowed gently.

They both sat there for a while; Blood Moon seemed to be checking Ditzy over, looking for anymore spots she hadn't reached, and all the while he was oblivious to the way grey mare, that was trying to figure out how she felt about the stallion before her, was looking at him and what was going through her mind as she lunged at him. The grab took the assassin of his flank and put him on his back, his horn glowing with its dark aura in an offensive manner, but fortunately the mare that was hugging him once again, lying on top of him with her nether regions uncomfortably close to his, didn't seem to notice before he could dispel the magical attack that could K.O. an Ursa-major, given the correct spot and distance.

"You really have a way with words don't you" the mare said between giggles as she rested her chin back on his chest.

'And you sure know how to make a stallion blush' the assassin thought as he felt their groins pushed together slightly. He wasn't sure if it was unintentional either. The mare seemed to notice the red on the deep grey cheeks and she giggled once again; the assassin had never been too fond of giggles, chuckles or any kind of laugh that wasn't a laugh, save bemused grunts, but he had to admit it: the grey mailmare's cute little giggles were starting to grow on him. After a few seconds in the blush invoking position, the duo parted and left the water, Ditzy's flank now much less degrading, and proceeded to watch the water flow by.

Blood Moon had given his cloak to Ditzy and had put his vest back on but the belt was hidden in the hood that rested next to him. Ditzy, deciding through some unseen force that she liked and trusted this stallion, started up a conversation. They spoke for a long while; Ditzy spoke about her hard times throughout life, her parents, school, the young flier's academy and her life as a mailmare. Blood Moon happily listened to it all; he was not so emotionally inept that he did not know why he was doing this. He knew that there were too many ponies out there, all with occupations similar to his, that did not understand simple emotions or had distanced themselves from their own. To Blood Moon, it was what made him equine and not some feral beast. The dark stallion listened to the mare's tails; some were better than others: Ditzy's abandonment made him grit his teeth in particular, but that was not the thing that took his attention in that particular story.

"A little sister" he repeated to himself. Ditzy Doo had just told him about her younger sibling, Dinky Hooves, and he wasn't sure how to respond to it. He had no problem with foals, in actual fact he rather liked them and their innocent look of life; he knew the darker parts of life: death, betrayal, corruption and what some ponies would do for a bit. A filly or colt, however, had not been exposed to it, not yet anyway, and he enjoyed watching somepony capable of enjoying life. He smiled before responding. "I look forward to meeting her" he told her, earning a relived sigh and a certain grey mare's head leaning on his shoulder. He could tell she'd been nervous about telling him.

When Ditzy was done with her story Blood Moon decided to return the favour; he did not make the decision lightly, but Ditzy had convinced him to tell her about his life before Ponyville. He looked headlong at the setting sun, surprised at the quick passing of time, as he spoke to her about his work as an assassin; she seemed surprisingly uncaring about his chosen profession, as though she'd expected it. Kind of unsurprising really, after what she'd seen him do in the market. That said, he'd decided to keep the conversation away from any... controversial, shall we call it, details. He wanted to go with something less...detailed, so he went with telling her about his code; explained what had driven him to create it.

"It was supposed to be the contract that made me my name, a job that was truly challenging and the assassination I would be able to retire after. I was given the contract... four years into my career; I'd always thought it was strange being given such a difficult contract so soon, I mean at the time there were other more experienced killers but I guess they wanted somepony that wouldn't be thought of straight away and, ultimately, get caught by the guard."

"W-who was it for" the mare asked, still a little uncomfortable around the subject.

"Princess Celestia" he told her. A moment passed as a cold breeze flowed past the pair. "I did it the right way, any veteran would be proud; scouting the palace, learning their routine, picking the most opportune moment to strike out at them, having a route of escape planned out down to the finest detail and then… the time came to do the deed" the assassin told Ditzy, his eyes wide and his lungs empty as he told her the last part, as though he regretted something he hadn't done.

"What happened" she asked as she moved a bit closer.

"Six years, nine months and" he paused as he took an accurate reading of the days past "eleven days ago, was the day my career went through a change, for better or for worst I still don't know. It was the Summer Sun celebration; Celestia was addressing the crowd in Canterlot, and I stood above her, blade ready to taste blood. But I found myself doubting my intentions; I mean what would killing Celestia achieve: disharmony for one, Discord would likely come back to power and everypony's lives would be generally ruined. So as I sat there ready to make about half a year's worth of planning come to fruition I just didn't. I let her live."

"Just like that" she asked.

"Well not exactly, I got curious" the assassin grunted, knowing that once he was curious about something he would move the whole of Equestria to get his answers "I started to wonder who would want Celestia dead, after a while I followed the trail to a group of fanatics based inside of the Everfree forest that wanted Discord back. Let's just they didn't live to see their next birthday" the assassin wrapped up, keeping it as blood free as possible.

"That's..." Ditzy couldn't find the right words, who could? Blood Moon went on to tell Ditzy about his early life.

"When I was born, I was nothing special; just a foal with some dark colours really. I was the first to notice something different about myself when I preformed my first spell; it was no levitation spell, no illumination charm, instead it was something called Umbra Linguam" the assassin told the mare, this being something he had never told few ponies before "I first discovered my…gift, if you will, when I was trying to use basic magic. Nopony really knows why it happened, but it did; instead of turning the book page in front of me it caused the shadows to creep onto me."

"Like in the market" Ditzy remembered. Blood Moon looked down at the mare resting on him impressed.

"Well remembered, that was a word of my umbra vocabulary or put simply, one of four spells I can perform. That one in specific was hide" he went onto explain what he had done after killing the stallions in the market.

"So, you can become invisible in shadows" Ditzy concluded after a rather lengthy explanation.

"Put simply, yes, but as you can imagine, it's much more effective than just hiding in shadow" he told her.

"So…what else can you do" the mare asked casually, though in her head she was overflowing with curiosity; much to her surprise, however the assassin tensed. Blood Moon did not think it was a good thing that a large portion of the town knew about one of his spells but having one pony knowing all of them was definitely a large hole in his security. He looked down at her wide eyes and decided to humour her.

"Alright, so it's a tutorial you want, huh" he said, more a statement than a question and his voice dripping with mischief. He stood and led the way to a cluster of trees. "As you've already seen, I have the ability to hide within shadows and as you also already know this spell is one of four different types of Umbra Linguam" the assassin clarifies for the mare who proceeds to nod her head.

"Show me again" she asks with as much enthusiasm as a filly. The assassin grunts in amusement before his horn glows with its dark aura and the shadows cast by his hind legs start to move up them, turning his silvery grey body into the colour of the gloom around him. The shadows continue to spread up him; they cover both his hind legs completely, giving him the look of only half a pony stood normally on his two remaining legs; the shadows spread over his body and to the end of his mane, though the mane changes little considering its colour's properties; the darkness goes over the fore-hooves in the same fashion as the hind-legs but this time it's as if liquid shade is dripping down his legs and all the while the darkness creeps down his legs it moves up and across his face turning his features into a simple black slate, melting across his muzzle and maw before they stretch over his eyes and rendered him completely invisible.

"Wow" is all a stunned Ditzy Doo can think to say. For a moment his outline can just be made out but not a second after she notices it, it vanishes.

"Not bad, huh" Blood Moon says from beside Ditzy, earning him a small sequel to which he responds to by crackling like an invisible mad stallion. The mare giggles a little before waving her hoof were she assumes him to be, though she finds nothing but air.

"Blood Moon, where'd you go" she asks the darkness and trees around her.

"Boo."

Ditzy squeals once again as she hears the disembodied voice from right next to her head, snapping her gaze to her left she makes out a stallion; Blood Moon, his smirking face barley an inch from her own. They stand there for a second, Ditzy as if her hoof had been caught in the cookie jar, paralyzed, silent, unblinking and above all a monstrous blush on her face, while the assassin simply continues to smirk at her. Blood Moon hadn't noticed how close he had been to the mailmare and while he found the situation slightly amusing, he certainly hadn't expected to come this close to her. Not yet anyway. They both backed off at once, a slight mutual reluctance between them, before Blood Moon continues.

"Hide, my first spell" he explains "Now stand back a little" Blood Moon, still with a small smirk on his face, tells Ditzy doo, who had a little red on her features. The glow around his horn sparks up again, starting calm and tight around it until it suddenly becomes more aggressive, more violent, as it sharpens and grows around the horn. Ditzy feels something moving around her hooves, looking down she finds nothing there but can still feel it, like a snake withering past her, though the touch was as light as the grass flowing past her on a lazy breeze. Suddenly the contact becomes more solid, more real, and just as soon as the change happens, four black tendrils shoot out of the ground. They take the form of tentacles before they seem to harden, become stronger and more powerful; after a while they take the form of demonic looking serpents. They all snapped, snarled and spat menacingly as they continued to grow; their bodies grew muscled and sharp scales, while their heads, all identical, produced black slits on their dark gold eyes and a crimson forked tong that tasted the air like a snake would, but unlike a snake's hiss, they gave out deep growls from their powerful jaws, ready to rip apart the first thing their master considered a threat. Now finished growing, they were a sight to behold; the bodies were three foot in muscly and powerful diameter; they stretched ten meters long, their bodies still slightly coiled; the scales that armoured their bodies were the same black that had covered Blood Moon when he had hid in the shadows; and the heads, distinguished from the bodies by black spikes angled down from the face, were dark, menacing and downright evil looking; but it went further than that, the looks on their faces were cold and calculating giving them a look of vicious intelligence rather than just angry instinct. The shadow serpents (as Ditzy nicknamed them) looked down at Ditzy from their vantage points atop their extensive bodies.

"These are the product of the 'battle' spell, all four of them are great fighters when I have control of them but… they have trouble telling friend from foe when I lose my influence over them" the assassin explained as the serpents continued to regard Ditzy Doo with menacing intellect.

"Cool" she said with an astounding amount of resolve, so much so that she seemed unimpressed.

'Well we can't have that now, can we' the assassin thought with a devious grin spreading across his face. Quick as a flash, the serpents darted for Ditzy and wrapped around her legs. The mare screamed, thrashed and withered around as the shadowy creatures carried her over to Blood Moon who was on his back laughing like a mad stallion. Ditzy saw the assassin howling and wasn't amused by his antics, putting on an annoyed version of her signature 'derp' face. The assassin saw the mix of narrowed eyes and innocently scrunched nose and bottom lip and he felt his heart melt at the unarguably adorable sight.

"Aww, did Ditzy get upset" he joked as he brought the mailmare closer to him. He held the mare up close to him so he could grin straight into her face. He enjoyed the proximity, as he could better see the innocents in her soul and the foalish cuteness of her face Ditzy, however, had an altogether different enjoyment running through her; she saw the only caring stallion she had met in her life and the rugged looks his features held, not an inch between them. They continued to look at each other as she processed the emotions going through her; Ditzy Doo recognised the emotion she felt as love and she felt no reason to not embrace it. Blood Moon, however, just felt a warmth in his chest at the sight of Ditzy Doo this close to him; the feeling wasn't new to him, it was an undeterred love of her adorability, but he wasn't sure if it was welcome.

In that moment, Ditzy felt her lose herself to the unspoken part of her subconscious mind as she leaned into the assassin.

Blood Moon wasn't sure if he'd see it coming; no amount of training or magical prowess could give him that kind of answer. All he had to go one was Ditzy's sudden advance as she moved her maw over to his, an increase in size of those ever pleasant, golden and unfocused eyes. The thing that surprised him most, perhaps was that he made no effort to withdraw; he didn't lean back as she leaned forward but simply let it happen as she kissed him.

The act was neither fleeting nor fast; Blood Moon lost focus on the serpents holding up Ditzy and she dropped on top of him, their lips still connected, as he rested on his back he felt the heat of Ditzy's body push against his chest as they continued their embrace. He let his mind escape him for a moment, his instinct taking over as he felt his eyes close half way, leaving them open a crack so he could still gaze upon his partner. Ditzy was in a bliss she had never felt before; her instincts had taken over and she had closed her eyes as they meet each other's lips. She remained relaxed as she held her partner and felt a feeling of immense heat and electricity pulse through her body and saw no reason to reject it, instead letting herself meet Blood Moon's embrace with one of her own. Her left fore-hoof rested on the ground beside the stallion's head and her right wrapped itself under his neck, pulling him further into the kiss they shared. Blood Moon replied with his own caress, gently stroking her mane with his right fore-hoof and his left holding her waist. The kiss went on for a long while, each getting well acquainted with each other's mouths, before they reluctantly broke apart.

After a few seconds of light panting, Ditzy with a new brightness in her eyes and Blood Moon a wide grin on his face, the assassin spoke up.

"Well, that was something" the assassin commented.

"Sure was" Ditzy replied a little breathlessly. The moment passed, the two of them looked at each other while trying not to shift their lower bodies, as they had both noticed that, yet again, their crotches were connected as they lay there. The comments they were making did not reflect what they were thinking; others would presume they were feeling awkward but it was the simple fact that Ditzy could have lay there with him for hours, and Blood Moon himself was by no means wishing away the company. They would have stayed a single mass of pony for a while longer still had the wind had not picked up. Ditzy looked up to the sky's with a look on her face that told Blood Moon that she had just realised something. "I think the Pegasi scheduled rain tonight" the Pegasus told the unicorn. Blood Moon grimaced slightly.

'And I have nowhere to stay tonight' he thought as he looked past the canopy of trees past Ditzy Doo's head.

"Well you'd better get home before you get soaked" he told the mailmare.

"What about you."

"I'll be fine, you don't need to worry about me" he told the mare.

"Blood Moon, do you have somewhere to sleep tonight?"

'Busted' the assassin thought as he lay there.

"Well, there was a nice looking tree a little ways out of town" he admitted, telling her his sleeping plans. She looked down at him with a worried expression before it turned to a small blush as she looked away.

"Well, you could always stay at my place" she offered timidly "I-I mean it's the least I could do" she added. The assassin had hoped she'd say that, one; so he could meet Dinky and two; so he could finally get a look at the dossier he'd been keeping with him all day. He'd actually planned to give it a once over at the bar but his meeting with Sand Stalker had prevented that. The assassin nodded to the mare, who smiled widely at him in response before getting up off of him. The assassin quickly missed the warmth.

The trip back to Ditzy's place was pleasant, but a little tense due to Blood Moon's need to stay incognito around Ponyville. Once again, what should have been a simple twenty minuet journey was extended because of the stallions constant avoiding of other ponies. It didn't seem to bother Ditzy however; she actually seemed amused by it all. After an hour's worth of cautious trotting, they arrived at Ditzy's home; not a very outstanding place, your average Ponyville thatched roof, two story job, it was unassuming and subtle. Just what Blood Moon needed. As the pair approached, a small pale purple filly ran out to them.

"Sis" the filly shouted to them. Ditzy's face immediately lit up as she saw the foal, even as the young one leaped up and crashed into her elder sibling and embraced her in a heart-warming fashion; the filly Blood Moon identified as Dinky Hooves had her short fore-hooves reaching as far as they could over the older mare's chest as Ditzy held the filly tightly against her, so that nopony in Equestria could separate them, with her wings wrapped around her, protecting her from the elements. Blood Moon looked on in admiration; this was what a true, loving family looked like. His hood cast a shadow further over his features as he remembered his foalhood relationship with his parents. It was not a welcome memory. The assassin was brought out of his dark past by the sound of his name.

"-is Blood moon, he's a friend of mine" Ditzy told Dinky. Said filly trotted up to him and looked up at the stallion from beneath him, the tall stallion having to look straight down at the young mare.

"Hey there" the stallion said a kindly, his voice visibly shaking the filly "I believe you are Dinky hooves" he says, his voice becoming quieter and softer, more suited to a filly. As he speaks, he lowers himself to her level, bringing them to equal standing.

"Yeah, that's me" the filly replies, her voice a younger and higher version of her sisters.

"It's a pleasure to meet you little one" he says as he takes his hood off and allows the filly a better look at him.

"My sister say's your real nice, and that you're her friend" the filly tells the stallion who looks over to said sister for a second to gauge her reaction; happy, most likely because of Blood Moon getting along with Dinky. The assassin looks back to the filly.

"I'd like to be your friend to" he tells her, utilizing foal handling skills he hasn't had to use in a while. The filly smiles broadly at him before saying 'sure'. The assassin picks up the filly with a levitation spell and puts her on his back before following Ditzy into the house.

A modest place, directly inside the door the living room lies; a fire place surrounded by a light green chair and sofa, off to the left a doorway leads to the kitchen and a stair-way at the back left-hoof corner leads up to the second floor. The two sisters sit on the couch while Blood Moon takes the chair. The assassin looks over the filly and mare and notices the tiredness in their eyes.

"You two should get some sleep" Blood Moon advises the two worn out looking sisters.

"But I ain't tired" the filly exclaims before falling strait to sleep falling into her sisters awaiting fore-hooves. Blood Moon had to admit he liked the filly, if only because she was the living, breathing definition of the 'happy little filly'. He magically lifted her onto Ditzy's back.

"Thanks, you know you're great with foals" the mailmare told the assassin wearily. Blood Moon shrugged at the complement.

"I Just treat them the way that feels right but for now, you should rest" he told her, suppressing a yawn himself. He glanced outside and noticed the darkness; how late was it?

"Yeah, you too Blood Moon" Ditzy told him with a small smile, which might as well have been a small kiss goodnight between them. The mailmare ascended the stairs and the dark stallion watches her go. When Ditzy disappears upstairs, Blood Moon sits on the sofa, before taking out the dossier with his magic. Laying the contents on the table between him and the fireplace, he looks over the file with growing curiosity. He recognised the target; from the magenta fur, to the styling of the mane, he recognised this mare. The other thing that caught his attention was the name; one of the names that Sand Stalker had given him was the apparent title of this Canterlot born, unicorn mare, as well as the student of princess Celestia herself. This troubled the assassin; if this Twilight Sparkle was the personal protégée of the ruler of Equestria then he could have his work cut out for him. At that moment something struck him; this mare had been on the streets of Ponyville unguarded, with only her friends as company, this could mean one of two things: either Celestia didn't think Ponyville was the place to attract killers or Twilight knew how to defend herself. As he continued to read the information he continued to become more and more troubled about this contract.

'Element of harmony? One of the mares that defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra and the Changeling army. Damnit, Blood Moon, what have you gotten yourself into here?' The assassin memorised the information, going over it five or six times, and threw it onto the fire. As he watched the embers burn the papers, he felt sleep take him; he was good at staying awake with very little rest but two days trotting almost nonstop, a fight in the middle of Ponyville and his antics with Ditzy were taking their toll on him and he could feel fatigue setting in. He knew he had to lay down on the couch and let sleep take him, though he knew it would not be a peaceful night.

Blood Moon rarely, ever, had a peaceful night's sleep.