“And then we all safely returned home with no complications besides my broken leg.

-Shadow-mark”

I let out a sigh of relief and put down my quill on top of my mahogany desk.
We were all back at our hideout safe and sound after 3 days of driving in a mushroom van and it was high noon as off now.

I turned down and looked at my leg. It was bandaged and in a cast fixed by our doctor Fluttershy.

Lucky we didn’t suffer anything worse than a broken leg.

I still can’t believe we were riding in a stuffy van for 3 days straight. And that time Pinkie got carsick making everyone carsick. Thank Mareio that he gave us health and stamina shrooms.

I chuckled.

I’m glad I was mostly unconscious during that time; I just wish I didn’t have to recall that mushroom dream. I thought I put it behind me a long time ago.
But more or less we’re back and I can finally send my letters to the Princess.

I looked at the pile of documents and reports on my table totaling a grand 40 pages considering I started to make these about 6 hours ago.

I reveled in the glory that was my finished paperwork until Twilight walked over to me.

“Twilight… did you find how much money they needed to manufacture those high-tech weapons and vehicles?” I asked.

“Yes Shadow… let’s just say it was a lot.” Nervously said Twilight not wanting to reveal the sum.

“Come on….there must be something more than that,” I said trying to work my Ponitalian charm.

“Fine. The exact number is…”bringing her mouth to my ear.

*whisper*

“REALLY, THAT MUCH!? ARE THEY CRAZY OR SOMETHING!?” I shouted startling the other ponies.

Fluttershy flew under her desk with Spike, Rarity mis-stiched an outfit, Rainbow Dash who was fighting some training dummies ended up punching her hoof on the stone wall, and lastly Pinkie Pie was mixing some dangerous chemicals together and added to much sulfur causing her bomb to make a tiny explosion filling the room with smoke.

Applejack was at her farm bucking apples for the day so she didn’t have to suffer like the rest of us.

“SORRY!” shouted Pinkie over the smoke.

After the smoke cleared and I apologized to everypony I added a page to my letter to Princess Celestia.

“If you turn your castle into solid gold then it still wouldn’t be enough.”

“This is a big blow to the Templars and they won’t recover so easily from this, we should hit them now while their defenses have been breached!” I confidently said standing up too fast from my chair.

“OW! My leg.” I yelped in pain as I fell to the floor.

“Shadow you need to rest and so do us. We just went to another country and did a huge amount of damage towards the Templars. We can attack another of their main operations some other day.” Said Twilight helping me back into my chair.

Spike who noticed my fall came to help me back up as well.

“Hey Shadow, you ok?” asked Spike.

“Yes Spike don’t worry it’s only a broken leg.” I reassured him.

“Great! So… are you ready to send the report?” he asked.

“Yep, here you go.” I said pointing to my stack of documents.

Spike took a deep breath in.

“WAIT!” butted in Twilight.

Spike ignored Twilight releasing a green fire onto the documents. They didn’t teleport instead all 40 document pages were burned to ash, unable to be recovered.

“SPIKE! We needed to use special scrolls to send letters to the princess, these are just paper sheets!” shocked Twilight.

“Eh… oops.” Shrugged Spike.

“Uh oh.” Said everypony in the room.

I slammed my hooves on the desk and stood up not feeling the pain in my legs, but the rage that was building inside of me.

My eye twitched.

“If you’d excuse me everyone.” I casually said as I walked out of the room and onto the roof.

Ace was eating his lunch as I charged off the roof and glided as far as I can as fast as I can away from Ponyville and looked for any place devoid of life before my rage explodes.

I spot a flat field with nothing in sight and I make my landing there.

I planted my hooves firmly on the ground as the wind starts to push away from my body and a dark red aura engulfs me.

“HRNNNNGG….” I grunted trying to contain my rage.

Crap…can’t….hold…it….Grrrrrrr…

“AAAAARRRRRRRAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGG!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

*KER-SMALLSION*

---------------------------------

A crater had formed around me, but unlike the Observer’s rage explosions this one was smaller and didn’t involve the demonic clouds and lightning strikes.

I marveled at the sight of a crater… that I made.

Wow, I can understand why the Observer had so much passion for hating documents.

My thoughts were interrupted when… something snuck up behind me and growled over my shoulder. I turned and I stood face to knee of an Ursa Major, a gargantuan bear constellation.

And she looked pissed.

But so was I.

With the dark red aura still engulfed around me I shouted at the bear in a slightly demonic voice, “I don’t have time to deal with you now! LEAVE ME BE.”

The Ursa Major was unfazed and let out a large roar, “GRRRROOOOWWWW!!” as spit slammed into my face.

“YOU WANT TO GO? I’LL SEND YOU BACK TO THE SKY WHERE YOU BELONG!” I shouted as I began to charge the Ursa Major at lightning speed.

Just before I hit the Ursa Major into the heavens above I saw something in her eyes.

Fear.

*KER-UPPERCUT!*

The Ursa flew into the noon sky where she eventually disappeared from sight only to re-emerge as a daytime constellation for all to see.

The rage now leaving my body I came back to my senses and realised what I’ve just done.

“I vanquished an Ursa Major! YAHOO!” I jumped.

I jumped… with a broken leg and with no rage to quell the pain I was going to regret this.

*crack* went my leg as it touched the ground.

“OW! Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!” I cried out in pain as I held my broken leg and jumped around on my other.

-------------------------------------------------

Somehow I managed to crawl… CRAWL back to Ponyville and the hideout without drawing attention to myself.

Guess that’s why I’m called Shadow. Ow I need to get to rest soon.

I reached the guild room (don’t bother asking me about how I went up the stairs) and silently crawled on the guild carpet.

“OW! CARPET BURN!” I shouted out in pain alerting the other ponies.

“Shadow, are you ok?” “Do you need me to get some ice?” “I told you’d needed to relax!”

“Just get me to my desk I need to rest a bit.” I weakly said as they helped me to my hooves.

I relax in my mahogany desk chair and begin writing the new documents for the Princess.

40 pages here we go again…

Twilight and Spike came over to my desk and removed my paper and quill from my hoofs.

“YOU need to rest Shadow. I and Spike will write the report to Princess Celestia, ok?” asked Twilight taking my stuff with her magic.

“Ok Twilight I trust you with this. Make sure to get in the cost of manufacturing those… guns.”

Rainbow Dash overheard us and interrupted, “GUNS ARE BORING!”

We all nodded in agreement.

But cannons? Now that’s progress!

While Twilight and Spike went to work on the report I called in Pinkie who was doing something with a cupcake.

“Pinkie… what’s that? No. I don’t want to ruin the surprise. Anyways do you still have that laptop with you?” I asked.

“Sure here ya go!” she said dropping the laptop in my hooves.

Ok time to rest and relax….

The moment I opened the laptop a message appeared on the screen.

It read, “Sorry about your leg Shadow, Get well soon!, Love Dave.”

I looked at the message then back to Pinkie, “Do you need this?”

“No why?” she asked.

I snapped the laptop in half and discarded the pieces.

“Oh it just had a … little virus.”

----------------------------------------------

I was still waiting at my desk doing absolutely nothing. Occasionally some ponies came to check up on me.

“Oh… Shadow I made you this crutch so at least you can walk properaly and don’t have to crawl everywhere you go.” Said Fluttershy.

“Grazie Fluttershy.”

Rarity also came to me asking about all the foreign places I’ve been too and been planning to go to as well.

“Shadow, I hear the Assassins down south have curved blades, CURVED BLADES. How can they stab ponies with a rounded edge?” Asked Rarirty.

“Ah yes, the curved hidden blade. I never seen one myself but I think they use it more for climbing and practical purposes. I bet they have other tricks up their sleeve… among other things.” I said.

-------------------------------------------------------

After many hours and with the sun almost setting I can finally say that I’m…

Bored. My butt is so numb from sitting on this chair all day. Plus the fact I was semi-conscious for about 3 days on mushrooms.
DAMN THIS LEG!

Twilight and Spike came back to me from their report writing. I noticed that Spike’s left and right hands were stuck in a way best described as “Writer’s Cramp”.

Then I noticed the stack of papers that were supposed to be 40 pages long were much, much longer than that.

“Umm... Twilight how long is it?” I said afraid to ask.

“80 pages, 2 paragraphs, and 3 sentences long. Would you like to read it?” she excitingly asked me.

What would the Assassin code do in a time like this… think… think…

“Umm… AHA! I can’t read it once the documents are 100% done and judging by this amount I say it is. You know how it is Twilight with “for her majesty’s eyes only” we need to protect the secrecy of the Assassin Brotherhood!” I said to her about something I’ve read in an outdated assassin handbook a few years ago.

“Oh that’s too bad. Tenant 53 is really strict on that. Okay Spike you can send the letters!”

“Will do Twilight!” Spike saluted while gathering up air inside him.

*Fwoosh*

And all the documents and letters were gone, about to drop on top of the Princess in a big heap.

Oh Crap…..

-------Outside--------------------------------

I convinced Fluttershy to let me out for the rest of the day which was about 2 hours before night falls.

Now, what can I do for 2 hours without hurting my leg?

I slipped my hoof into a pony’s pocket as I passed them and pulled out a few bits.

Pickpocket… YAY!

I weaved through the crowds of people returning home before darkness fell.
4 bits here, 3 bits there. Eventually I got around 200 bits from spare change.
I looked at the semi-medium pouch of bits I’ve collected and thought.

Do I really need all this money? All the renovations are done and we have plenty of materials and food. Hmmm… what am I going to do with this?

I noticed a small stand that had a big sign reading, “Building Charity for the Habitat of Ponies”
And it was run by 3 young fillies. All who I recognized from the school.

“Hey Applejack, Scootaloo, SweetieBell what’cha doing?” I asked them.

“Oh HI SHADOW!” excitingly said Applebloom.

“We’re trying to find our cutie-marks still!” said Scootaloo.

“That’s why we’re….” prepared SweetieBell.

“CUTIE-MARK CRUSADERS CHARITY ORGANIZERS!” they all shouted in unison.

“Well that’s great, did you raise any money?” I asked them.

“No…” they all sadly said with their heads down.

“Here maybe I can help a bit.” I said tossing the coin purse towards them.

“WOW! THANK YOU SHADOW!” they all said excitingly marveling at the sight of my donation.

“Anytime!” I said turning around.

“Well that was a kind thing to do Shadow.” Said a recognizable voice in front of me.

“Applejack… how long have you been following me?” I asked the orange pony amazed at her stealth.

“It was easy considering y’all have a crutch there.” She said pointing to my wooden crutch.

“And I’m mighty surprised you didn’t use those bits you stole for yourself.” She sneered.

“Ah yes, can’t afford to get rusty now can I?” I chuckled.

“Of course Applejack, nowadays I depend on other ponies’ generosity and I feel that I should return the favor.” I said.

“How noble Shadow, stealin from the rich to give to the needy.” She said with sarcasm.

“Applejack, you know as well as I do that I only take what ponies don’t want or use unwisely. You don’t mind me taking this apple no?” I asked holding out a red apple I took from Applejack’s pocket.

“HEY? How’d you do that? I’m not wearing any clothes!” she holstered.

“Assassin Magic.” I said taking a bite from the apple.

-------------------------------------------------------

We walked for a few minutes talking about the past days and my “abilities” when we heard a scream coming from the outside of the Quills and Couches shop. We hurried there as fast as we can.

POWER-CRUTCHING!

I saw 4 ponies harassing the teacher Cheerlie who was a huge stack of text books.

“Hey, Hey, Hey! What’cha doin with all them books Teach?” said a huge brown stallion wearing a bandana.

“Please don’t hurt me I’m just a school teacher! I’m trying to help my students.”

“Ya well, why don’t you help us with our cash problem.” Said a skinny white pony with yellow teeth.

“Those textbooks seem very expensive.” Said 2 identical magenta mares who looked more like teasing the teacher rather than mugging her.

“BASTA!” I shouted moving towards them using my crutch.

“Yo, did he just call you a bastard? Want me to take care of cane-y here?” said the skinny white colt to the fat brown stallion.

“Nah man. He’s just a BROKEN DOWN OLD PONY THAT SHOULD MIND HIS OWN BUSINESS!” the brown stallion taunted me.

“ARG! Your all so culturally impoverished…” I shook my head.

“NOW LISTEN UP! WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO MUG THIS MARE LIKE THAT? DON’T YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT?” I shouted at them.

The two identical mares looked at each other then said, “Look we were just teasing her, we’re not in any mugging. Come on let’s go.”

2 down and I’m sure the big one won’t back down and his lackey would follow him anywhere.

“YO MAN! I A’INT LISTENING TO SOME WHINY BROKEN LEG GUY. BIG T DON’T GIVE A SHIT!” said the fat brown stallion.

Applejack started to get closer, I signaled her to stop and let me handle this.

“YA T! YOU SHOW THIS GUY WHO YOUR MESSING WITH!” said the skinny pony.

“FOO! LEARN SOME GRAMMER!” the stallion shouted at the skinny pony.

He turned to me and shouted, “TIME TO GET THE TASTE OF THE T!”

The stallion charged me and arced his hoof out to land a big punch.

I stopped it with my hoof while holding my crutch in my other hoof without moving an inch.

My menacing eyes, hood and the fact I stopped his attack with only one hoof had him scared and shaking.
I pulled him closer to my face and stared at him with my scarlet eyes. I whispered to him so only he can hear what I was saying.

“I can break 7 of your body parts with this hand… right… now. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to end up in a hospital bed for 8 months wondering how a pony with a broken leg had severed your spine. Now you go over to that teacher and you apologize.” I said with a monotone death voice.

“Uhh..uhhh yes sir whatever you want.” He nervously replied.

“Good and when you’re done, don’t bother coming back to this town. Because by then my leg would have healed and my 7 turns into a 23…” I said with a devious smile.

I released him and he ran towards the teacher.

“I’M SO SORRY! I DON’T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!” he said bursting out in tears.

“Umm… I forgive you?” responded Cheerlie who was very confused at the moment.

“Come on! WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE!” shouted the brown stallion grabbing the skinny white pony and running out of Ponyville.

I went over to Cheerlie and comforted her, “Are you alright Cheerlie? Did those rude ponies hurt you?

“No… I’m fine Shadow. I was just startled that’s all.”

“Would you like us to walk you home?” I offered.

“No thanks Shadow I think I can manage..." she said picking up her textbooks.

"Before I go however let me thank you.” She said giving me a short kiss on my cheek.

“Stay safe Cheerlie!” shouted Applejack.

“Wow Shadow, I’m impressed you took on those thugs without having to beat up one of them.”

“Well Applejack, wounds can heal while words are always printed.” I said.

“Oh no not these puns again. Do all the assassins use these quotes?” she asked me.

“It all started from one seed and grew into a tree… an apple tree of knowledge.”

“This is going to be a long night.” Sighed Applejack.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

We approached the guild room and I was still talking.

“And oranges are the scourge of scurvy, while bananas bring forth…”

“ENOUGH SHADOW!” said an annoyed Applejack.

"..."

“more bananas…” I finished quietly.

We entered the room and I was instantly surrounded by worried ponies.

“Shadow darling, we thought you were hurt.” Said Rarity.

“We were all like, WOOH WHERE’S SHADOW? When you didn’t return for a few hours.” Said Pinkie.

"I wasn't worried I knew you'd be fine." boasted Rainbow Dash.

“Don’t worry everypony I’m fine. Like I said just stretching my legs.” I mock stretched.

“—and your mouth too.” Added in Applejack.

We all laughed.

I don’t get it.

A piece of paper fell from my heart coat pocket and landed on the floor from my laughter.
Twilight picked it up and looked at it.

“Shadow… are these…”

“Yes. They are the targets I‘ve failed to eliminate in my past.” I confessed.

“Well there are only a few left,” she said crossing out Je Suis’s name.

Everypony and Spike huddled around the list.

Twilight read out the short list, “Volcanous, WingBlade, Dave the accountant?”

“Trust me. He’s BAD.” I said.

“And finally in bold, Balthazar… not much of a list if you ask me.” Said Twilight.

“I plan to add more names when the time comes, in the meantime we can focus our efforts on… Volcanous.” I decided.

“Volcanous?” asked Rarity.
“Isn’t he a commander of the Gerponian army now? And aren’t they about to go to war with the Belponians? I’ve seen it in the news.”

“Yes and Yes Rarity. Luckily they will only be armed with swords; however it’s about 100,000 soldies to 8 Assassins.” I said.

If you forgot about Ace…. Erg!

“We’ll need lots of planning and lots of diversions.” I said looking to everypony.

“Let’s go stop a war!” I confidently shouted bringing my bad hoof down to a stomp.

*crack*

“ARG! Ok… maybe later… there’s still plenty of time...”

I just hope this time will go a bit smoother than with Je Suis.

Pray Celestia that Dave doesn’t show up again…