I looked over the three ponies sitting on the hard earth of the huts floor. “So does that answer all your questions?” The assembled mares nodded and Aurora and I breathed a sigh of relief. “Good because we have precious few hours of daylight left and there is much to do.

“Luna.” Aurora spoke, looking at the alicorn. “I need you to start working on making this place a little more livable. Use your magic to form beds, seats and windows if you can. As much as we can handle sleeping on the ground it would better not to and the breeze coming through the windows frames only makes it more difficult.”

Luna nodded her assent and left the hut before Aurora pointed to the unicorn in the room. “Vinyl, do you think you can find a way to get us clean water?”

“Of course! Just leave it to me.” She replied boisterously before following Luna’s path outside.

“And Octavia.” I started. “You’ve got an excellent organisational mind. I need you to gather all the ponies you can and start working on everything else you can to improve our settlement.”

The mare immediately saluted before leaving without a word, leaving Aurora and I alone.

Aurora looked to me and gave me a small forced smile. “Do you think we are doing the right thing Ashur?” She asked worriedly. “This plan is really risky. What if we aren’t able to turn the elements to our side? This could spell the end for us.”

I rest a hand on my best friends shoulder and gave her a warm smile. “Don’t worry Aurora. This is one of your plans and since when do they ever fail?”

“I know that my track record is pretty good but I can’t help but worry. Before all my ideas were just small things that only affected us. Now we have ponies to protect, I’m just worried about what kind of collateral damage we might cause for those around us.”

“Well if you can’t trust yourself then trust in me.” I said drawing her into a hug. “I’ll see this through with you.”

“Thanks Ashur. I don’t know how I would have held up if you weren’t with me.” She said quietly, sinking into the hug.

We broke apart and Aurora looking back up to me, her face now a mask of confidence. “So you ready?” I asked her.

“Let’s do this!” She cried confidently. She turned towards the door of our small domicile,walking out. I followed her into the center of our small settlement before we turned and walked into the tree line.

I followed her weaving between trees, dodging low hanging branches and strange plants and within a few minutes we found ourselves looking out over the Apple family's orchards. Tree after tree covered in delicious looking fruit rose and fell with the hilly terrain. We stepped forward with purpose, making much faster progress now that we didn’t have to avoid the dangers of the Everfree.

Within a scant few minutes a large home rose up in the distance. The last few metres we crept forwards without making a sound, surveying the area around us until we spied our quarry in the distance. The orange coated mare was carrying a basket full of apples from a leaden cart towards the open barn door.

Aurora called out to her in a loud whisper. “Applejack.”

The mare in question stopped suddenly, looking around until she saw us standing against the nearby wall of her home. “Howdy y’all. Ah was wonderin’ when ah’d see y’all again after ya disappearing act yesterday.”

Aurora smiled and spoke again. “Hey could we find somewhere to talk?” She asked.

“Of course. Ah’ll just git these apples into the barn then we can go out into the fields. Big Mac and Granny are busy in town today, Applebloom is still at school an Mac will pick her up. We should be okay to talk there.” Applejack replied.

She cantered quickly into the barn before returning sans apples. She walked past us and we followed her out into the orchard. A few minutes later she stopped and leant against a tree. “So what did y’all want to talk about? It must be mighty important fer you to risk coming out here in the middle of the day.”

I stepped forward and addressed her question. “Well we were hoping you would help us speak to some of your friends. We would rather not have a repeat of the event from the other night and you’re the only pony we can approach for this.”

“That might be a bit difficult. After you stood up fer Luna, Twilight wrote to the princess and she warned us that y’all are dangerous criminals. Ah don’t believe it fer a second but everypony else are all on watch fer y’all.” She warned.

Ashur and I sighed heavily. We both realised how much more difficult that would make our task. Not only did Celestia now know that we are out but she probably told Chris about us too.

“Are you sure you can’t get at least one of your friends to talk to us?” Aurora asked.

“Ah’m not sure. We definitely can’t git-” The mare was interrupted as a loud shout reached us.

A blur of motion surged toward us in the shape of a cyan coloured pegasus with a rainbow contrail. “Don’t worry Applejack! I’ll save you!” The mare shouted.

Rainbow Dash flew at breakneck pace towards Aurora without any hint of slowing down. She turned in the air and pointed a powerful leg towards her. A moment before the dangerously quick mare could strike Aurora shifted her weight to the side and reached forward, grabbing Rainbow’s extended rearhoof and swinging her body around, launching the attacking mare back into the distance.

A second later she turned in the air and came flying back, her eyes full of anger. She landed in front of us before raising her body up and striking a fighting pose. “Get away from my friend!” She screamed.

“RAINBOW DASH STOP!” Applejack yelled at her friend, causing Rainbow Dash to stumble and fall back onto her haunches.

“Wuh. What?” Rainbow Dash asked bewilderedly. “Aren’t these the monsters Nightmare Moon summoned?”

“No they ain’t Rainbow. They are friends of the family and you WILL NOT attack them on mah farm. Do you understand?” Applejack said, stomping a hoof in annoyance at her friend. “And you will not call Princess Luna that name either.”She added.

“But, but Twilight…” Rainbow Dash started before being interrupted by Applejack.

“Ah don’t care what Twilight told us. These two are the reason the Apple family exists today.”

“You mean…” Rainbow stammered. “The story you told me about how your ancestors were saved by two strangers… that is them?”

“Yes, and you will show them respect.” Applejack said forcefully.

The mare gulped under the stern gaze of the earth pony. She looked up to Aurora and I, an internal battle seemed to be fought within her. With a deep breath she stepped up to us with a hoof raised. “Um, I’m sorry I attacked you.” She said with an apologetic look in her eyes.

I took a step forward and raised a fist to the hoof of the pegasus. “That’s okay.” I said with a smile as I bumped fist to hoof. “We didn’t exactly make the best impression the other night did we?”

“Heh, not really.” She replied before looking to Aurora with an excited expression. “Hey, can you show me that move? It was so awesome!”

“Aurora. Why don’t you go show Rainbow a few things.” I told my companion. “Applejack and I will stay here and talk.”

“Alright” She replied with a happy smile before walking off with Rainbow Dash trailing behind her in the air.

Rainbow Dash surged forward on powerful beats of her wings, a limb extended as she bulleted towards her target. The woman she was about to kick suddenly swayed sideways and grabbed the extended limb before rotating on the back of her heel. She used the power of Rainbow’s assault and a little of her own energy to swing the pegasus around and launch her back in the direction she came from. A few seconds later the mare reappeared and landed beside the woman.

“Wow! That is so cool. Where did you learn to do that?” Rainbow Dash asked inquisitively.

“Well I kinda already knew how to do it when I arrived here but I got better from teaching ponies how to do it.”Aurora answered.

“Do you know any other cool fighting moves?”

Aurora laughed for a moment before answering. “I know a few things. But I can’t just teach them to anyone.”

“But I’m Rainbow Dash, the coolest pony in Equestria. You have to teach me!” The mare brashly demanded.

“Look Rainbow Dash.” Aurora started, staring down the pegasus with an intense look in her eyes. “There are some things I can teach you but everything else I have to keep secret. For the sake of the brotherhood.”

Rainbow Dash backed down from Aurora’s forceful words. “Oh, okay. I’m sorry Aurora.” She stammered before asking. “So, wha- what is the brotherhood?”

Aurora kept up her intense gaze as she considered her answer. “If I tell you this you can tell no one. Not even your own family.”

Hmm, I wonder if she actually has a family. I saw Fluttershy’s before leaving but no one is really sure if Rainbow Dash actually has one.

Rainbow Dash stood up straight and raised a hoof to her head in a salute. “I swear by the Element of Loyalty that I will not tell another soul what you say here.”

“Okay good.” The woman started, letting down the intensity of her eyes. “Well Ashur and I. We belong to a group called the Assassins. We fight against the corrupt to protect the innocent. To do that we must train in many arts, from combat to stealth.”

“But aren’t the assassins murderers for hire? That’s what I was told in flight school.” Rainbow Dash asked.

“That’s a common misconception.” Aurora sighed. “We do kill yes, but not for money or the thrill of killing. We strike down the evil and corrupt so that good ponies can live better lives.

The two stood in silence. Rainbow Dash was thinking about everything she had been told in comparison to the rumours she had heard over the years and Aurora was calmly watching her.

Rainbow looked down at her hooves while she was deep in thought. After a few minutes she looked up to the woman she was starting to enjoy talking to. “So… If I wanted to learn everything you can teach me I would have to…” She gulped. “Become an assassin?”

Aurora smiled down gently at the pony. “Yes, there are many techniques that we cannot teach to anyone that is not one of us.”

Rainbow Dash lowered her head again. She stayed like that for a long time but eventually she raised her head again. This time a resolute look was in her eyes. “I want to join. If I can protect the innocent then I will do anything to make that happen.”

“Well that was unexpected.” I said.

Applejack laughed for a moment. “Yeah, you never know what to expect with Dash.” Her gaze hardened as she looked up to me. “Y’all are going to recruit her aren’t ya?”

“Only if she wants to join. We would never try to manipulate her or anyone else to join us.” I explained.

Applejack’s hardened glare softened slightly. “Ah hope not.” She sighed. “Sorry Ashur, there has jus been a lot goin on lately an applebuck season is coming up so ah’m running myself ragged.”

“I understand.” I said with a comforting look. “I’m sorry for coming and taking up so much of your precious time.”

“It’s no problem. Ah’m jus worried about what’s going to happen now.” Applejack explained. “We’ve only just become friends with Twilight but it’s like there is already this big gap formin between us because of all this assassin business. Y’all can’t see it because going into town is too risky, but Twilight has been spreading all this stuff about Order ever since Celestia told her to stay in Ponyville.”

I stood there, my hand rubbing my chin as I was deep in thought over Applejack’s information.

If Celestia is trying to bring Twilight into the Order this has become infinitely more complicated. Can we risk recruiting the rest of the Elements now? I ruminated.

“What will you do if Twilight continues like this?”

“Honestly ah’m not sure. It’s a bit creepy the way she’s actin.”

“If she goes too far are you willing to confront her?” I asked.

The mare sighed and dropped to her haunches. “Ah want to say no but ah’m thinking we might have to. It’s only been a couple days but she is already causin trouble.”

“Maybe you should consider joining us then. That way you have support.”

Applejack’s sigh increased. “That might be mah only option, but not yet. I want to see if ah can help her myself first.”

I looked into the sky and watched as it lowered slowly. I looked over to Applejack and the deep frown on her face. “I’m sorry but I should be going. You take care of yourself, okay?”

“Will do Ashur, y’all take care of that friend o’ yours.” Applejack said as she turned back to her home and walked off.

I walked in the direction I had seen Aurora and Rainbow move off in and soon found then. Rainbow was staring up at Aurora intensely and as I walked up Rainbow Dash spoke. “I want to join. If I can protect the innocent then I will do anything to make that happen.”

I learnt against a nearby tree and watched as Aurora gave a big smile to Rainbow Dash. “Then welcome Initiate, to the Assassin Brotherhood.”
“It looks like we have a new recruit.” I said, startling Rainbow Dash who stumbled and fell over.

“Not cool.” She groaned while trying to pick herself up from her sudden trip to the ground.

I laughed for a moment. “Well it looks like situational awareness will have to be the first thing we teach you.”

“Ignore him Rainbow, would you like to come meet the rest of the Brotherhood?” Aurora asked, causing me to glare at her which she promptly ignored.

“Yeah!” She cried.

“Well follow us.” Aurora said before turning her back and walking off in the direction of the Everfree forest. A few strides and I joined her as Rainbow Dash trailed behind. We walked in silence with Rainbow Dash’s soft wingbeats behind us. When we reached the edge of the treeline she stopped, suddenly looking nervous.

“You live in the Everfree forest?” She asked nervously.

“Well yeah. We needed somewhere nopony would come looking.” I answered her simply.

“But aren’t you afraid of all the dangerous monsters?”

“Not really. We are all trained assassins. It’s not like we have anything to worry about.” Aurora responded. “Don’t worry, we will keep you safe.” She added with a warm smile.

“Oh, okay.” Rainbow Dash stammered before slowly drifting into the treeline to join us.

Within a few minutes we reached our small camp and looked around at the differences that had already been made.

Every hut was now outfitted with glass windows and a large fire pit had been added to the centre of the area. Each house had been expanded to two stories and were much longer in shape. I was excited to take a look inside and see what other changes our ponies had made but was stopped by the presence of Rainbow Dash next to me.

“So what do you think?” I asked her, gesturing around our little haven. “Not bad for two days labor.”

Author's Notes:

Hopefully this is better than the last chapter.
I'm not really all that experienced with combat descriptions but I hope I had Aurora flinging Rainbow sound realistic and yes I know I repeated the same move twice but that seems like her usual opening move and showing it being so easily deflected would raise her respect for Aurora's skills.

Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this chapter. :)