Octavia looked at the outside of an elderly looking, five story building. The exterior of the structure was covered in a washed out shade of blue paint that was starting to chip away, revealing the red brick underneath. The windows of the shop had iron bars on the outside, contrasting heavily with the softer image of the vases that held a series of bouquets. The store’s door had words painted onto it identifying it as “Barb’s Fauna.”

“This is the den?” sighing, Octavia twisted the doorknob and the calming aroma of tulips and roses hit her, along with an undercurrent of fresh manure. “Hello?”

The interior of the shop was much more fanciful than one would have expected. Behind a green counter, white columns with plants growing out of slots carved into them, rose from the the floor and soared, reaching a height of twenty meters before connecting with the ceiling.

“One minute!” a feminine voice replied from behind one of the columns. A loud crash was heard as a pot of soil hit the ground and shattered. “Damm it!”

“Need any help?”

“No, thank you.”

A female griffon, the owner of the voice, revealed herself. Her most striking feature was her missing left hind leg.

“Be there in a sec.” The griffon flew down onto the linoleum floor and swept the soil into a corner with her wings. “Sorry about that, are you Octavia?”

Realizing this had to be the guard to the sanctuary calmed Octavia. “Yes, are you Barbs by any chance?”

The griffon perked her head up. “Yep, and before you ask, I lost the leg on a mission in Prance.”

Octavia glanced side to side. “I wasn’t going too.”

“Sorry, most ponies do, anyway, you’ll find the entrance to the tunnels in the backroom at a grey sunflower. Just say the first tenet and you’ll be allowed in.” Barbs went back to cleaning up the soil.

A grey sunflower? Octavia was about to ask what Barb meant but shook it off and just decided to go along with it. Walking past the columns, Octavia eventually passed under a doorway into a medium sized room with the only feature being an alcove on the northern walls where a grey sunflower in a red vase bent over towards the only lightbulb in the room.

After glancing around to check for witnesses, Octavia leaned in. “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.” Nothing happened. “Barbs, are you sure this—Huh?” Glancing down Octavia saw the sunflower start to shake before coming to a halt. “What the—” The sunflower flashed upward as its stem crystallized right before Octavia’s eyes, snapping the flower in half. The alcove column parted, revealing a staircase leading into a dimly lit hallway.

Barbs poked her head into the doorway. “Say something?”

Octavia just stared at the staircase as a gentle breeze emerged from it and caressed her cheek. “Um, nevermind.” Looking down towards the dark passage, Octavia took a deep breath and walked in. As she trotted through the tunnels she could hear the sound of movement from the streets above. I wonder how old these tunnels are? Octavia thought as she took a left. Must’ve been built with the—” A strong, vile odor hit Octavia’s nostrils; making her gag. “Oh Celestia, what is that smell?” I must be under the sewers. Ugh. Trying her best to ignore the smell, she continued on her way.

After a few more minutes of trotting she came upon a wall with her order’s symbol carved into the wall with words etched in iron under it: او که افزوده دانش ، غم و اندوه افزوده. Octavia saw that a slit was in the middle of the words. “Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me, guys!” She started knocking on the wall. “It’s me, Octavia! I don’t have my hidden blade!” Soon, the hallway began to shake,  causing Octavia to step back. The shaking stopped and the wall split apart. Octavia could barely see past cloud of dust. The dust settled to reveal Rolf standing in the doorway to a brightly lit room.

“Sorry about that Octavia,” said Rolf as he scratched at the stone floor. “Forgot that you didn’t have your gear.”

Octavia breathed deeply. “It’s okay Rolf, let’s just get me refitted.”

“Sure, but first we gotta take care of something.” Rolf waved for Octavia to follow him into the sanctuary.

The sanctuary had been built during the pre-boom days of Manehattan, but it had been repeatedly revamped as well, giving it a feel that was somehow both archaic and modern. The floors were as cold as ice, the only comfort being the occasional rug. The place had old rusty torch holders along the walls in rows but they were seldom used; the building had electric lighting.  Octavia saw that it also had full training facilities; she could glimpse ponies sparring as Rolf led her along.

One of them, a young looking mare with a green mane whispered something to one of her sparring partner. Octavia listened closely. “Isn’t that Octavia Melody? I thought she wasn’t allowed back in the city after she messed up that mission.” Octavia growled , but Rolf  nudged Octavia, having also heard.

“Hey, you alright, kid?” He said, his age briefly showing. “You know, if you ever need someone to talk to I’m here, alright?”

Octavia’s face softened at the offer. “Thank you Rolf, but I’m quite fine. Just a little tired is all.” She glanced back at the gossiping mare, only to see that she had returned to her match. And a little bit frustrated.

The two continued their walk as if this had never happened. They passed a group of ponies who were writing down messages for the carrier pigeons and others talking about the latest news, finally reaching a balcony from which the other rooms could be seen below. On the balcony,  Stormbreaker was currently on a chair, at a wooden table.

Noticing Octavia, Storm rolled his eyes. “About time you got here,” he said, flying out of the chair. “Ready to discuss the plan?”

Octavia noticed that a bunch of papers where sprawled out on the table. “What are these?” Picking one up she saw that it a building’s blueprint. “Is this the M.I.T. building?”

Storm’s eyes widened, he roughly grabbed the blueprints from Octavia. “Be careful! Do you know how hard it was to get one of these?”

Octavia smirked. “Let me guess, you had to put that pretty mouth of yours to work?” Out of the corner of her eye, Octavia could’ve swore she saw Rolf grin. “Fine, I’ll be more careful, so what’s the plan?”

Storm shrugged. “Not much to be honest. It’s a costume party and few templars know what we look like so our clothing shouldn’t look out of place, we also forged this.” He took an envelope from the table before giving it over to Octavia. “It’s an invitation to the event.”

Octavia looked puzzled as she examined the letters. “But there’s only one. If you are going to be there, then why do you need me?”

“Because of this.” Rolf tossed a flyer onto the table.

“The Manehattan Orchestra?” Realization dawned on Octavia as she looked at the two assassins. “There’s only one problem. I play for the Ponyville orchestra not the Manehattan.”

Storm blew  a raspberry. “You talk like we’ve never done something like this before. We bribed one of the cello’s to take the week off. And we got you to take his place.”

Octavia tapped her chin. “But what does—”

“Are ya’ll starting without me?” The three assassins turned to see Cherry Jubilee leaning on a wooden post. “And to think I brought ya some cherry pies,” she said grinning.

Rolf groaned, Octavia swore she heard him mutter something about allergies. “Cherry you're late.”

Octavia looked up at the light above her as she processed this new arrival. “Cherry you're the frontier den master. What are you doing in Manehattan?” She frowned when Cherry chuckled.

“Oh, it’s good to see you too, Octavia.” Cherry started swaying her hips over to the table with Storm watching them with his full attention till Rolf glared at him. “As for why I’m here, it’s because the M.I.T. is one of the most powerful companies in Equestria, but only because they have the support of us business tycoons.”

Rolf noticed Octavia was still lost. “Cherry’s going to go undercover at the party as trying to get a contract with the M.I.T.” A chuckle from Cherry got his attention.

“Oh, Rolf. You say like I’m not gonna get that contract.”

Rolf frowned and walked over to Cherry. “Remember why we’re here.”

“Actually.” Octavia raised her hoof. “I’m still kinda confused on what we’re trying to accomplish here, I know we’re supposed to identify Templars but I sense there’s something else?”

Rolf nodded. “There is. We just got this message from our brothers in Van Hoover. It seems that Mr. Green is coming to this party.”

The name rung in Octavia’s ears and made her frown. “Why?”

Rolf shrugged. “Probably just there to see the Grandmaster. But this does provide us an opportunity.”

Storm tilted his head. “Like what?”

“We kill Green after he’s talked to the Grandmaster. That way we can get rid of him and know the Templar leader’s identity.”

Octavia thrusted herself towards Rolf. “I’ll do it.”

“Remember, we need him to identify the Grandmaster first.”

“I know.”

Cherry yawned as she put her hoof on Octavia's shoulder. “Well honey before we do that, we’re gonna need to equip you.” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m guessing you didn’t bring your hidden blade?” Octavia shook her head. “Well don’t worry, cause we got plenty of spares along with a robe right in your size.”

Octavia grinned and nodded. “Sounds good, by the way. Did anyone here order a robe from Miss Rarity?”

Storm smirked. “You mean the element of generosity? Not my kinda style.”

Rolf rubbed his bald head. “No, why?”

“She showed me a custom robe of hers that looked like ours, but more colored.”  

Cherry started laughing to herself to the others frighten looks. “Oh, Mentor, you old posh stallion.”

Rolf’d face grew confused. “What’s the Mentor have to do with this?”

“Well I don’t like to gossip—”

Rolf put his hoof up to her face. “So don’t. We don’t need to get involved in the Mentor’s personal life. Now does everybody know their jobs?” All three nodded. “Good, also one more thing before you all go.” He looked to see if the other members were watching him before he leaned in and spoke in a hush tone. “Remember that Humble fellow?”

Octavia’s eyes widened. “What about him?”

“Well get this. I recently received a letter from an informant of ours that tells me that the Templars are thinking of hiring mercenaries. Precisely two particular mercs.”

Octavia saw where he was going. “You think the two stallions who abducted Humble are going to be at that party.”

Rolf nodded. “Yeah, now I don’t know what the Templars want with a writer, but since you seem to know that Humble fellow pretty well Octavia, I was hoping you could ask him about them. Without revealing us of course.”

Octavia looked down in thought. That’s not gonna be easy. “Just how do you propose I do that?”

“I’m sure you will come up with something. Now if there’s no more business to attend to I hereby declare this meeting adjourned.”

*****

“Come on! That should’ve been a goal kick!” Stale threw his whiskey bottle at the suite’s HD tv, it missed and hit the mantle instead. “Bucking prick!”

Lemon looked up from tending his bow. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? That’s what’s wrong!” Stale pointed at the tv where a soccer game between the Trottingham Kickers and the Van Hoover Dragons was taking place with the score twenty one to twenty three respectively. “Bucking referee's gotta be blind or something!”

Lemon rolled his eyes and just went back to adjusting his bow. “You really get worked up over sports don’t you?” All of a sudden a vodka bottle hit the wall behind him. “What the Tartarus was that?”

Stale glared at him sharply before snorting. “Sports? This is hoofball—The real kind. Isn’t nothing more important...except money, mares, and liquor.”

“Speaking of money, I got a message from a courier when I went to the ice machine. Seems Light wants to meet us at his lab or something. Says it’s important.”

Stale took one big gulp of cider before wiping his muzzle and belching. “Sounds good, where’s his lab?”

*****

“This is his lab?” Stale’s eyes widen as he looked at the enormous structure before him. He and Lemon had taken a carriage to the lab only to be brought twenty kilometers out of the city to Light Wizard’s Appleachian lab. The lab was at the very least half a kilometer long as it sat on the top of a hill in the forest.

“Apparently,” Lemon said, paying the taxi driver. “Come on, lets head in.” The two stallions walked up a dirt path where they found a courtyard brimming with ponies in lab coats either eating lunch or talking about their experiments, in the center of it all was Light Wizard talking to a mare and stallion who looked strikingly similar. Both had dark orange manes and baby blue coats. The only difference seeming to be their genders and that fact that the male had a cutie mark the head side of a bit while the female had the tails side.

“You have a good point Dr. Heads on why the time—” Light stopped talking as he noticed the two mercenaries, looking back at the two blue ponies he nodded to them. “—As I was saying the time just isn’t right on the clock. It’s at least—Oh, Stale and Lemon.”

“It’s good to see you again sir.” Lemon glanced at the two blue ponies. “We aren’t interrupting anything are we?”

“Oh no, Stale and Lemon, this is Dr. Heads.” Light nudged towards the male blue pony. “And his sister Dr. Tails, they’re in charge of the facility's physics division.

Stale’s face grew a smile as he swaggered over to Dr. Tails. “Well, hello there, miss—”

“You have a odd shaped bump on your head,” said Dr. Tails in a casual tone. “Perhaps a injury of sorts?”

Stale stepped back. “What did—”

“But, what was the cause I wonder?” said Dr. Heads taking a sip of his coffee. “And when?”

Stale frowned. “Now just a min—”

“No, the injury looks to natural. Something from his childhood most likely.” Dr. Tails sipped her carrot soup. “A foal’s head is quite easily to misshape when the bones aren’t settled.”

Stale’s anger reached it’s boiling point. “Buck you!” He would’ve punched the two scientists had Lemon not gotten between them.

“Calm down Stale, remember, we need this,” Lemon said, smiling slightly when Stale put down his hoof.

“We meant no offense,” said Head patting his sister’s muzzle with a napkin to get rid of the soup. “We merely observed.”

“Well you can observe this!” Stale took hold of the table and flipped it over. The entire courtyard stopped and looked at the stallion. “Nerds!”

“Mr. Stale,” Light rubbed his temples. “How about we just get to business instead of flipping my facilities furniture. If you’ll excuse us, Doctors.”  Heads and Tails nodded before walking away with Stale growling at them till they were out of sight. “Now, if you’ll two follow me, I can show you why you're here.”  Light led them into the building where even more ponies in lab coats were busy shuffling around.

“Doctor Wizard!” A young mare with a purple hairdo and a beaker for a cutie mark ran up to them. “I—have—something—”

Light held up hoof to stop the mare’s hyperventilation. “Wire, calm down and tell me what’s wrong.”

“The solar project’s cells are melting again!”

“What? Ok, listen where’s Wheelie?”

“Right here sir!” A glasses wearing stallion said in a nasally voice. “Something wrong?”

“Wheelie, I need you to take these two stallions to sector seven. Once there, let Miss Orange Flow handle things.” Light twirled around to Stale and Lemon. “I’m sorry gentlecolts, but your gonna have to go along without me. Wheelie here will take care of you. Come on Wire!” Light started running into a corridor with Wire following behind him.

“So!” Wheelie turned to Lemon and Stale. “Ready to go?”

As Wheelie took Stale and Lemon to sector seven, he gave them a history lesson of the facility much to the annoyance of Stale.

“When will this guy shut up?” Stale whispered to Lemon.

“Soon I hope.”

“Here we are!” Wheelie stopped in front of an elevator with a giant seven painted on it. “Let me just type in the password. Wheely turned to a keyboard on the wall and after a few seconds of typing the elevator's doors opened. “If you’ll just take this you will meet Miss Orange Flow. She’ll tell you more.” Wheelie started walking off.

The two shuffled into the elevator that immediately closed once they were in. Stale took out his pipe and lit it up. “So, what you think they’re gonna show us?”

Lemon shrugged. “Maybe some people who want to hire us?” The elevator stopped and opened its doors. “Whatever they have it’s gotta be importa—”

“Hello.” Stale and Lemon turned to the source of the voice, a tangerine colored mare with a red button as her cutie mark. “You must be Stale Crumbs and Lemon Squeeze, I’m Orange Flow,  if you’ll just follow me.”

“Sure miss.” Stale took an eyeful of the mare’s swaying rump. “So, what’s the stuff ol’ Lighty wants to show us?”

“Well if you two are going to be working with the company as ‘private contractors’ you're going to need the right equipment.” Orange took a left into a room full of odd looking metal objects tied together with a metal case on the only table in the room. “For you Lemon, we have this.” She took a key out of her orange mane and opened the case to reveal a alien looking device.

Stale took out his pipe and snorted. “What the buck is this?” The object in the case was a long piece of metal with a odd shaped opening on the back of it and a what appeared to be a small eyeglass attached to it.

Orange just smiled. “It’s called a sniper rifle.”

The two stallion looked at each other with confused looks. “What’s a sniper rifle?”

“A gun.” Orange saw that the two were still confused. “Lemon, if you will, please take hold of the gun.”

“Um, okay?” Lemon levitated the gun out of its case. “What now?”

“Now, align the scope, the thing on top, right there” Orange pointed at the eyeglass part. “Now you see that target over there?” She nudged her head towards a pony mannequin with a target painted on its side. “Now just align the crosshairs of the scope with the target.”

“Ok.” Lemon put the scope against his good eye and put the crosshairs in between the bullseye.

“Now, pull this thing here, the trigger, back.” Orange pointed at a weird shaped button.

“Ok—” A burst of thunder hit everypony’s eardrums as the gun fired and hit the target right in the bulls eye. “Holy shit!” Lemon dropped the gun. “What the Tartarus was that?! Stale did you see that?”

Stale just stared at the pierced target with awe. “Bucking awesome.”

Orange smiled to herself. “I’m glad you liked it, Mr. Wizard himself created it. The gun uses small pointed  bullets, like these.” She held up two pointed metal objects.

Lemon just quickly picked up the gun. “Amazing! This thing is absolutely amazing!” He looked up with excitement in his eyes. “And it’s all mine?” Orange nodded. “Buck yeah!”

“You’ll be given a full guide on the use of the gun along with protoype models of other guns we have made and proper maintenance on them on your way out. We’ll also send you to a private shooting range if you need to practice.”

Lemon looked up. “You mean there’s more?”

“Of course! The rifle in sniper rifle isn’t just there for no reason. We also have close combat guns like shotguns, pistols, and more firepower packed weapons for heavily armored targets.”

Stale couldn’t take it anymore. He felt like he was gonna burst if he didn’t get something just as awesome. “What you got for me?”

Orange grinned. “Follow me please Stale, lets give Lemon some time with his new toys.” The two left with Lemon not even noticing as he fondled his gun.

After the closed the door Stale jumped in front of Orange. “So what’s for me? A gun too!?” A chuckle from Orange made him frown.

“Not quite, you have a more melee approach to things as we’ve seen, so we got you this.” Orange took another key out of her mane and opened a door at the end of the hall. “I give you, The Saddle.”

Stale’s eyes widened as he saw what appeared to be a steel saddle dangling in front of him. “What the buck is this?”

Orange started to walk around the saddle . “This is The Saddle. An item that combines both magic and technology to give it’s wear increased endurance of that of four times the average earth pony, and the strength of four minotaurs. Try it on.”

“Um, ok?” Stale took the saddle of its hooks and slid it on his back. The second he did so the saddle wrapped two stripes of leather around him. “What the—” A sharp pain in his lower back made him yelp. He could feel liquid being pushed into his bloodstream, as the color in his eyes started to change to a dark red, they stung and his breathing quickened in pace. “I feel fanbuckingtastic!” Stale roared. “I feel like I could do anything!” He glanced at the metal door to the room. “Heh.” He threw himself at it, he felt like a rock going through paper as the door burst off its hinges and into the hallway. “I think I’m gonna like this.” He said smiling.

*****

I can’t believe I paid fifty bits for that Thought Humble as he and Pinkie came out of an eastside Manehattan cinema. “So what did you think of the movie Pinkie?”

Pinkie bounced up to him while humming the (in Humble’s opinion) annoying tune from the movie's big princess number. “It was fantastic! I mean could you believe that song that princess sung?!”

“Oh, I can.” Humble shivered in remembrance. I mean the cold’s nice, but you don’t need to sing about it! The two family members walked up to a nearby pretzel cart and as they waited Pinkie started tapping her hooves together. “Something wrong hon?”

Pinkie stopped and looked up at Humble, her eyes as innocent as a child who stole a cookie. “Yep, um, Unkie Humble?”

“Yeah?” Humble took his pretzel and gave Pinkie hers. “Something wrong?”

“I was just wondering.” Pinkie looked down in hesitation. “Why—Nevermind.” She took a bite out of her pretzel and chewed it up quickly.

Humble saw that something was getting under Pinkie’s skin and guessed what it was. “It’s about Miss Yearling isn’t it.”

Pinkie shook her head. “No, no!...Well, yes.”

Humble sighed. “Listen, hon, I just don’t wanna talk about her okay?”

“But—”

“Hey look!” Humble pointed at the one thing that could save him. “A balloon cart!”  

“Ohhh!” Pinkie’s eyes grew wide at the variety of colors.

“Here’s ten bits, you go buy as many as you want.” The second Humble gave the bits over to Pinkie he was left coughing in her cloud. “Dang, when that mare wants a balloon—” He stopped when he saw a sign for an advertisement for the Manehattan museum of history. I remember how Dazzle would always talk about finding things to put in museums. Humble shook his head. “Come on Humble, you shouldn’t think about her. Find something to take your mind off her.” Looking for a distraction he saw a shop with a bunch of typewriters in the window. He sighed. “Wish I could get one of those.”

“Whatcha talkin about Unkie Humble?” Pinkie said, clinging her three red balloons. “You already have a typewriter thingy.”

Humble snickered. “Used to, more like. Dang thing’s breaking down a lot these days...hey do you mind if we head back now? It’s late and I gotta get some writing done if I’m gonna meet my deadline.” He saw Pinkie’s face drop a bit. “What’s wrong?”

Pinkie shrugged. “It’s nothing Unkie Humble, it’s just, well I’ve got a tingling feeling under my hoof.” She pulled up her right leg and pointed at the middle of it. “And I just feel like you shouldn’t head back yet.”

Humble smiled and nuzzled Pinkie. “That sense of yours just knows how to ruin my sleeping schedule doesn't it? Okay then, where do you wanna go next?”

“Hmm.” Pinkie put her hoof to her chin and thought it over. “How about...ice skating?”

Humble choked on his pretzel before gulping it down. “I-ice skating? I don’t know Pinkie, these old bones aren’t exactly made for falling down.” But a puppy face from Pinkie made him reconsider.

The two walked into the Manehattan Central park just when the sun disappeared from behind the tall buildings. The trees lights that were for upcoming hearths warming eve flickered on, their brightness amplified by the mirror-like snow.

“Awfully beautiful isn’t it?” Humble smiled as he and Pinkie went under particularly long branch that looked like it had a snake of colors wrapped around it.

“Yep!” Pinkie stared at a couple of foals making snowponies before descending into a snowball fight. “It sure is.”

The two eventually came to an ice rink in the center of the park, a bunch of ponies skated around on it with a few falling on their plots.

“Ready to do this Unkie Humble!?” Pinkie threw her hoof up in determination.

Humble gulped. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” After paying for the skates Humble started trotting over to the rinks entrance, staring at the wet ice like it was going to swallow him whole. Taking a deep breath, he took a step onto the ice.

“Come on youngin!” cried an elderly mare from behind him. “I ain’t gettin any younger!”

“Come on Unkie Humble!” Pinkie pushed Humble onto the rink fully to his startlement. “There you go!”

“Whoa, whoa!” Humble leaned forwards and backwards trying to balance  himself out. “A little more, there!” Looking up his pupils shrunk. He was in the middle of the ice rink, with the railings at least six yards away. Damm it.

“Unkie Humble watch me!” Pinkie sped past him and ripped the ice up from beneath her, splashing Humble.

“Uh, Pinkie hon? A little he—Whoa!” Humble felt the ground beneath him slip, and a second later his underbelly burning as it came in contact with the ice. Brrrr! Desperately picking himself up, Humble heard Pinkie scream with joy as she whipped past him again.

“Unkie Humble look!” Quickening her pace, Pinkie jumped up into the air, doing a twirl worthy of the Winter Equestria Games, she planted her hooves onto the ice in a perfect landing. “Did you see that? Unkie Humble did you see that?”

“Yeah sweetie.” Humble tried to walk himself over to the railing only to fall again. “I—Omph! Saw that.”

“Now you try!”

Humble’s eyes widen and he started to sweat. “I, uh, don’t think that’s a good idea hon. I’m not that good at this.” He tightened his grip on the railing.

“Come on Unkie Humble!” Pinkie waved her hoofs at him. “I believe in you—Hi girls!”

Looking to see who Pinkie was talking too, Humble turned around slowly to see the gang buying their skates. “What are you all doing here?”

Rainbow Dash struggled to put hers on. “Eh, it was a tie yesterday for the soccer game, so we’re gonna settle this in ice hockey.”

Applejack nodded.

Humble just stared at the two mares in confusion. “But this isn’t a hockey rink.”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other for a second before smacking their faces. “Rarity, you told us this was a ice hockey rink!”

Rarity just rolled her eyes. “Well if you two had let me finish, you would’ve heard that its only a hockey rink from nine to eleven.”

“Oh, don’t feel bad girls,” said Fluttershy as she pulled herself along the ice skating rink. “This is nice too.”

“Forget that!” Rainbow Dash threw up her hooves. “I’m gonna go read Daring—” A glance at Humble stopped her. “—Book back at the hotel.”

“Well, you go do that.” Applejack got on the ice. “I need some time away from Apple Bloom anyway. Say thanks to Twi for watching them by the way.”

As Rainbow Dash left, Spike noticed that Humble was clinging very tightly to the railing. “Something wrong Humble?”

“What?” Humble looked up, before chuckling nervously. “No, nothings wrong. Just clinging is all.”

Pinkie did a twirl around him. “Unkie Humble won’t do this!” She did another jump and spin. “See?”

“Come now Humble,” said Rarity as she slid smoothly bye. “I’m sure a stallion of your caliber can do that.”

Humble shrugged, and picked himself up when shrugging made him fall. “I don’t see what my self quality has to do with this.”

“Ah don’t be like that.” Applejack turned upside down and skated on her forelegs. “It ain’t that hard, right Spike?”

“Right!” Spike was spinning around till he a blush formed on him. “I mean like hockey, and...stuff.”

Humble looked forward at the far side of the ice rink. How hard could it be?  “Alright, if everypony wants me too, here I go!” He sprinted forward with all his weight and as he sped toward the center of the rink he took off, unfortunately due to his angle he went a bit longer than he liked. “Dammit!” Humble cried as he soared over the ski railings and into a snow bank.

“Unkie Humble!” Pinkie quickly got off the rink and ran towards Humble with the others following behind. “Unkie Humble?”

“Hmm?” said a muffled Humble as his flank stood out from the snow bank. “Imf a fiffle thuck.”

“Don’t worry I’ll get you out!” Pinkie pulled on her Humble’s hindlegs to no avail. “Applejack can you help?”

“Sure.” Applejack got behind Pinkie and wrapped her arms around her waist. “On three. One...two..three!” The two pulled and before long a shivering Humble was released. “Whoo, you alright?”

“I’m a l-l-litt-le c-c-cold.” muttered Humble as Pinkie wrapped her scarf around him. “Thanks.”

“Unkie Humble!” Pinkie got up in his face. “You said a bad word!”

“I did?”

Pinkie looked around to see if anypony would hear her. “The D word!”

“Oh, sorry about that sweetie, I’m not used to getting thrown into snow b—Agh!” Humble clutched at his left hind leg. “Celestia damnit!”

The others gasped. “Humble!” Rarity spoke sharply. “A gentlecolt doesn’t swear in front of a lady! Especially in a princess's name!”

Pinkie grabbed Humble’s cheeks. “Stop being a potty mouth Unkie Humble!”

“Sorry about that girls, but I think I sprained my leg.” Humble gently rubbed his hind leg. “Must’ve done it when I took off. Just goes to show I’m not—Oh, hi Octavia.”

Everypony turned to see a light purple coat wearing Octavia waving at them. “Hi Humble, something wrong with your leg?”

“Unkie Humble hurt it when he tried to do a trick I did.” Realization hit Pinkie harder than a cupcake along with the others. “Oh, Unkie Humble! I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have told you to do that!”

“Sorry about that partner. we really are.” Spike and Rarity nodded in agreement to Applejack’s words.

“Ain’t no problem. Mind helping me up?” As Pinkie got Humble up, he leaned on her for support. “So what are you doing here anyway Octavia?”

“I was just going for a walk. Need someone to help you home?”

Humble waved her off. “I appreciate the offer, but I couldn’t do that to you. I think a minute or two on a bench should help.” He looked up at Pinkie who was bandaging his leg. “Pinkie, you and your friends go back to your ice skating. I think I’ll just stay on the bench.”

Pinkie looked up at him with disappointed eyes. “Okay Unkie Humble.”

After getting him comfortable, the gang went back to skating leaving Octavia with an opportunity to talk with Humble.

“So.” Octavia glanced side to side. “Humbl—”

“Listen Octavia.” Humble looked up with nervous eyes. “I’m flattered, I really am, but there’s a number of things that would just not make it work.” Octavia just stared at him big eyed. “I get it, you follow me all the way from Ponyville, probably see me as a cool old man for saving you from that wound, but for a number of reasons, one of them being I’m old enough to be your father, it just would not work.” A moment of silence was all that he got. “I’m sorry, but it’s the truth—”

“Hahahahahaha!” Octavia fell to the ground in a fit of laughter, her tears froze up as they left her eyes. “Haha-you mean you thought I was—Oh, Humble.” She collected herself and pat a frightened Humble on the back. “Don’t get me wrong, you're nice, but trust me when I say I don’t find you, em, that way.”

“Oh.” Humble’s cheeks flared up. “Um, I didn’t, well, actually I guess I did mean it sorta like that. Well this is embarrassing.

Octavia shook her head in amusement, holding in another chuckle as to save the poor stallion any more humiliation. “Listen, Humble. I see you as a good friend, and that’s all...but there is something I do need to know.”

Humble looked up in relief. “What?”

“Why did those two stallions abduct you?”

Humble leaned back in surprise. “Well that was kinda out of left field. To be honest I don’t know why. If you have any questions you could just ask the guards—”

“That’s alright, I don’t think they would know anymore.” Octavia got up. “I gotta head back to the hotel room. Don’t go falling for anymore mares who you barely know kay?” she said with a grin.

“Nether gonna let me live that down now are you?” Humble shook his head. “Goodnight Octavia.”

“Night Humble.” Octavia started trotting away as Humble watched her with squinted eyes.

Why would she want to know about them? A rustling from the bushes made Humble throw his head to the left just in time to see an owl flying away into the night sky.

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