The wind rushed past me as I plummeted down the mountain headfirst, the feeling of weightlessness surrounding my entire body. I positioned myself so that I was directly parallel towards the side of the mountain. The velocity increased as I cut through the air with relative ease, I needed enough speed in order to glide to The Apple Farm in the shortest time possible.

The mountain base started to widen, if I continued this all of my Ponitalian assassiness would be splattered across the jagged rock.

Just a bit more speed….

Sharp rocks outlined my descent threatening to impale me as I got closer and closer to them. Just as my body finally reached the right speed I unfolded my wings and arc them upwards to loop me back towards the sky.

Now I was gliding straight towards the farm to which I see hundreds and hundreds of apple trees outlining the countryside.

Hmm… I hope I have enough distance to get there; I can’t exactly flap my wings to increase it due to Balthazar using the Apple to cripple my right wing.
On closer inspection my wing looks perfectly fine, but the damage done is under the flesh.
The ability to never truly fly (or to experience a true wingboner on my right side, I might add).

It doesn't matter.

Whatever, what’s done is done.
Maybe I would end up landing close to the farm and then having to walk.

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

Bringing my body towards a rather large hill I made my landing as best I could, my hooves dug into the grass as they halted me to a complete stop.

I love this hill.

After admiring my “hilly-friend” I looked back at the mountain I jumped off from, it blended into the background quite nicely. I turned my attention to the front gate of the Apple family’s orchard which was a good couple of yards from where I was standing.

So I did what I would usually do, I sprinted towards the gates as fast as I could and leaped right over them. I approached the door at break-neck speed, much faster than what normal ponies would call; let’s just say I’m going EXTREMELY fast. Then with the door in front of me I raise a hoof for the point of impact and… gently gave 3 knocks.

The door opened and I was greeted by Applejack, “Hey Shadow, glad you can finally make it!”

“No Applejack, it is my pleasure I am here to assist you. Despite the workload I always have time to help,” I bowed.

“Stop charming and let’s get some work done. Unless from all your “training” you might be getting hungry?” she said as she escorted me into her house.

“Well I would say that my training is all done for today, that is if helping and training are two different meanings. Anyways I’m not really that hungry…” I said but then my stomach gurgled disproving my statement otherwise.

“On second thought maybe a snack would do some good…” I smiled sheepishly and Applejack laughed.

She went over to a stove and asked me, “What’ll you have? I can make anything with an apple!”

I pulled up a chair and pulled down my hood as I crossed my hooves on the table in waiting.

“Surprise me then.”

In a flash Applejack grabbed a tray and spun it around as she got ingredients from the fridge. She preheated the oven and shoved the ingredients into a mixing bowl as she sped her hoof around the bowl, liquidizing the batter.

I couldn’t help but cheer her on her cooking; this prompted her to go faster as she increased her flair ten-fold. Amidst the show a light-green old pony that I recognized as Granny Smith joined with me in the cheering.

After pouring a few glasses of cider and sticking the mix into the oven, she gave a sigh and hoofed us the drinks.

“That’s my girl Applejack! Now uhh… who’s this pony here?” Granny pointed to me.

“That’s Shadow, Granny,” Applejack said as she wiped the sweat off her brow.

“OH! IT IS! My, what a handsome young stallion you are! When I was your age I was the crown jewel of Equestria, I…….”

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

“…….and that’s how I ended up in the kitchen. Have a nice day now Shadow!” Granny said taking her cider into a separate room.

“Wow…. Shadow I’m impressed,” Applejack said with a grin, “You must be almost as stubborn as me!”

I LISTENED FOR THE ENTIRE TIME WHILE SHE WAS TALKING.

“Well we used to do things like this back at the headquarters in Ponitaly, Granny should have met the Observer, wow that would be hilarious!” I laughed.

The oven behind Applejack dinged and she quickly opened the door and pulled out the most sweet-smelling pie I’ve ever seen. She placed it on the table in front of me, my mouth started to water heavily. In no time I stuck my face into the pie and began to devour and savour the very essence of apple cuisine. I chugged down the cider which tasted just as divine and with a pleasant burp I finished.

“Oh, excuse me.” I apologized for the burp.

“You’re welcome!” Applejack smiled.

“Applejack, you do realize that you are the best cook I have ever met?” I said and she slightly blushed from my compliment.

Guess I’ve found her weakness finally, no pony can ever resist a Ponitalian’s charm for long!

“You all ready to head out for the end of the day’s work? I need your help on bucking a few apple trees I didn’t get around to do, on account of Big Mac’s sorry-sad state.”

“Oh, is it still about Steve, the tree I accidentally knocked over?” I asked to which Applejack nodded in reply.

“In fact we had to move it to the inside of the barn because Big Mac couldn’t let go of him. The thing is I really need his help and to stay focused because the apple harvest is almost here, and from the last time I realized I needed all the help I can get.”

“Well I guess I’ll take it as my cue to go help your brother out anyway I can,” I stood up from the table and prepared myself as I cautiously walked out the house towards the barn.

Always expect the unexpected…
Big Mac would probably attack me in his fit of rage when he sees me.
Or maybe he’ll be too depressed and using some of my persuasion knowledge would be useful in this type of situation.

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

*GACK*

Big Mac had his hoof pressed against my neck at the wall of the barn. I managed to hold onto his hoof with mine to resist his force. He had a death glare on me the entire time, I knew that if I didn’t do things right things were going to get a whole lot worse.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve to show your face here again,” Big Mac said as he pushed harder at my neck.

“Big Mac, I’ve only come here to talk.”

“Talk!? Talk about what!? The fact you bucked Steve right off his roots and killed him, he was in our family for generations! And you show up and turned Applejack into… into…”

Big Mac was desperately trying to figure out what he meant but I beat him to it with a simple reply.

“An Assassin.”

“That’s right! She told me everything about it.”

Well that makes sense; Applejack can’t keep secrets for long.
But… somehow I still knew she would tell her family regardless.

Through his hoof still on my neck I calmly said, “Then you would know that the Templars will do if they happen to win. I didn’t force Applejack to become an assassin, that was her choice and the choices of her friends, to be honest I worry practically every day what would happen to any of them should they get hurt.”

“You still turned a farmer into a killer!” Big Mac thrust his hoof further and I could start to feel the wood behind me begin to crack.

“But think about it Big Mac…” I choked through my words.

“Do you want Applebloom to grow up in a world ruled by corruption and greed; to be ruled by Templars?”

This surprised the giant red pony and I felt his grip begin to loosen.

“It was never my choice and I never wanted any other pony to be forced into this war. But listen to me, an Assassin doesn’t have to be a killer. It just needs to be a pony that wants a better future for Equestria.”

Big Mac released his hoof-hold and I dropped to the floor gasping for air, after I coughed out a lungful of air a red hoof helped me back up to my hooves.

“You’re right Shadow, I might not be a government fella but I know that something just ain’t right about the world today. Sorry for thinking you were just a murderer… and for nearly choking you just now.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it! I usually get stuff like this happening to me frequently,” I weakly joked.

Big Mac then brought his head over to mine and stared into my eyes, “You better not let my sister get hurt because of this or I WILL come after you and hunt you down myself.”

“Big Mac, I promise to protect Applejack and every single one of us with my very life, I will never allow harm to ever come to her. You have my word,” I seriously said.

“Well if you’re going to say that, then I guess we’ll have to make you an official friend of all the Apple family! You’re welcomed here anytime Shadow!”

Morto Bene, if I remember from Granny’s story their family is quite large indeed.

“Well with that thing settled I guess we can focus on why I came here in the first place,” I pointed to the tree lying behind Big Mac.

“Eeyup.”

I went over to the tree and carefully cut a branch from it with my blade.

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

Me, Big Mac, and Applejack were at the very spot where Steve the Stubborn originally was, the dirt hole was still there and that’s where I planted the branch right into.

After I was done I turned back to them, “I don’t really know much about biology but branches can regrow apart from the main tree. Meaning you could have a bunch of Steve’s around here. But I think for this purpose we name this branch Steve the second.”

With a nod of approval and an ‘eeyup’ from Macintosh we began to work on a few trees before the sun went down for the day.

Applejack brought me to a lane of apple trees with some conversation along the way.

“So I can tell things went smoothly in the barn, how were you able to cool my hot-headed brother?” Applejack asked.

“Easy, I gave him the truth.”

“Oh right, sorry about that. I know I shouldn’t be talking about my assassin training but--.”

I shushed Applejack with my hoof, “Don’t worry about it. Actually I knew you would tell your brother eventually, it’s best not to keep secrets from family as I have learned from experience. Just don’t go into detail if you have to,” I said and she nodded.

“I also told your brother that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you or the other assassins. After all I can’t stand the thought of losing anypony else in my life.”

“Aw, Shadow you big ol’ softy,” she joked as she gave me a friendly jab in the side then she put a comforting hug around me.

“Like a rock,” I chuckled hugging her back.

Then suddenly a sharp pain went into my head, I let go of Applejack and the pain was so intense I fell down onto my knees while clutching my skull.
Sweat beaded down my brow as my head buzzed with infuriating pain.

Then it just… stopped.

What in hell was that? Maybe I hurt my head somehow when I raced with Dash, or maybe at Rarity’s somehow that was stressful. Not to mention the fight I and the Commander had.
I just realized how much shit I’ve done today, no wonder my head’s hurting.

I recovered myself and casually said to Applejack, “I’m fine now, just a little migraine from today’s improvised training sessions.”

“Hmmm…. I don’t think we should have you do apple bucking today. Maybe you could help me with something… else?” Applejack raised an eyebrow.

“Alright what is it? I’ll be glad to help in any way possible,” I replied.

“Well… you see we… happened to have ‘lost’ a precious family heirloom, a golden apple to be exact,” Applejack said very unusually.

Hmm… she ‘lost’ an ‘Apple’ this should be interesting.
What’s also interesting is that I can hear some hoof steps that aren’t coming from Big Mac.
Interesting indeed….

“Okay Applejack I’ll find your apple, any idea where I might start?”

“Maybe in the orchards over there,” she pointed to a group of trees in the distance.

“One thing before I go Applejack, is this undoubtedly, uncertainly, a test just to get me to conveniently leave this area?” I asked with a smirk.

“Um… ah… no— NO! Yep! There is definitely not anything going on when you’ll be looking for that apple, nope absolutely nothing…” she said nervously with a trickle of sweat coming down her forehead.

I squinted my eyes at her then immediately gave a cheerful smile, “Bene! I’ll find you that apple in no time!”

I then walked away from her and headed towards the apple trees she pointed at in the distance.

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

When I was enough distance away from her I stuck my hoof in my robe pocket to find nothing.

Thought she might have done what I did last time I made the assassins do this challenge.
Maybe she wasn’t kidding when she ‘lost’ it. I’m sure I could find it in a few minutes of searching.
Nothing escapes Shadow Mark the Assassin!

-----3 hours later---------------------

Trees, trees, and more trees; all filled with delicious apples and not a single one being gold in colour!

This is getting ridiculous, I need a new plan. I just wish something from my assassin training could help me here…

There was that thing the Observer said to me once…

“Just open your eyes Shadow…”

“BUT THEY ARE!”

“No they’re not; you’re seeing when you should be SEEING them.”

“What are you talking about? Why are you putting emphasis on that word?”

“I think that is enough practice for today… NOW GET THE **** OUT OF MY OFFICE! Oh and say hi to Dr. Mareio for me!”

I don’t even know why I bothered to remember that. Instead I peered at the rows of endless apples lining my sight. I focused harder and harder but then a wave of vertigo overtook me.

I collapsed onto the ground almost seamlessly. Bringing my body back up I opened my eyes to see the world caked in a dark shroud. As I spun my head around the backgrounds moved fuzzy and lagged until I stopped my head and the outlines of the trees returned to focus.

Another headache came and my vision reverted back to the normal colour of a twilight-time apple farm. Before anything else could happen I quickly righted myself back onto my hooves and as I did my vision changed once more making the environment look darker.

What the hell is happening to me!?

My vision began to alternate back and forth between these two sights causing an enormous amount of headache pain, nausea, and vertigo to overcome me.
I figured my best course of action is to run out of the orchard and get Applejack to help me.

I dashed through the trees as my vision blurred and dimmed then grew intensely vibrant and colourful. I looked down on the ground in my dimmed state and saw there were hoof-prints in the dirt and more importantly they were glowing yellow. My vision changed back to normal and the hoof-prints were not glowing anymore and looked more difficult to find.

I ignored my headaches and followed the trail as a way outside of the orchard. The backgrounds flashed and my breathing became more rapid and uncontrolled but I strained past these and kept on following the trail. Darting through a bush a major migraine overtook me and I fell down to my knees, I let out a wail of pain as I covered my eyes from the changing sights.

“Shadow! What’s wrong?” I heard Applejack’s voice calling some distance away.

After a rush of hoof steps I felt her presence in front of me, I carefully removed my hoofs and looked up at her. Applejack was surrounded in a bright blue aura and her hat was glowing the same golden-yellow colour as the hoof prints.

Weakly I stood up with what little strength I had left and gently removed her hat; I dipped my hoof into it and pulled out a golden apple.

“I found it… Applejack… good hiding…spot...”

I collapsed.

----A few minutes later--------------

My mind hurt so much I didn’t even focus on any dreams I might have had (most of them would be nightmares anyways). What was that vision change? Why did Applejack glow blue and the other things in those colours as well?

Am I going crazy or am I just overworking myself again?
I don’t know, I don’t even want to know.
All I can feel right now is the leftovers of that headache and my body slightly shifting.

I think I’m being transported.

I groggily open my eyes still from the pain of the headache and found that my vision returned back to normal. I saw that I was being carried by Applejack on the way to the hideout.

“Psst… Applejack… I’m awake,” I mumbled to her.

A sigh of relief came to her, “Well howdy Shadow, you just kind of collapsed in front of me after you found the apple in my hat.”

“It was a good hiding spot,” I weakly laughed. “Do you want me to get off you, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be carrying me all night…. though I would,” I flirted with a grin on my face.

“Um… well you see I was just… carrying you because… well you…”

I rolled off of her back and landed on the ground, I looked at Applejack’s eyes and smiled, “Only teasing you again Applejack. However I might still need some help getting there…”

She helped me up and I rested a hoof on her back as she supported me to the hideout.

“You and your Ponitalian… ness!” she annoyingly smiled.

“Forgive me, I’m a charmer. An essential Assassin skill Le Duck once said to me.”

We laughed and we continued on the conversation about our days to make the trip seem less time and less awkward.

“I’ve heard from my sister that you teached your fancy Ponitalian culture and everything at the school today. It’s a mighty good thing she’s learning more about the world, she can’t wait for you to come back and teach more.”

Yes, I have an admirer! MAGNIFICO!

“Let’s hope I don’t die anytime soon then, maybe I should cut back on my training for a bit. But… I can’t.”

“Why not? Of all of us you should take a break, you still didn’t tell me how you ended up passed out on my back?”

“I was having weird vision things, you were glowing blue and your hat glowed gold and somehow that’s where the apple was. Maybe it was me overworking or taking too many blows today. Despite that I still can’t stop training, I can’t. With Dave still out there how can I be sure we will all be safe?”

We had climbed our way to the top floor and Applejack had her hoof on the knob as she pushed the door in, “Well I’m sure you could go for a little rest now and then.”

We entered and saw the rest of the assassins and the Equestrian soldiers huddled around my desk; they were all giving excited smiles.

“SURPRISE!” a pink head popped up next to me. “Come Shadow we have something to show you!”

Pinkie pushed me over to my desk and the group around stepped back revealing a very slick and comfortable black chair.

I gave a high-pitched squeal as I leaped over the desk and sat firmly into the cushion.

OH THE LUMBAR SUPPORT! THE PADDED SEATS! THE ERGONOMIC BENEFITS!
THIS IS A TRUE PARADISE!

As my back sunk into the delightful seat of pleasure I looked over at my assassins, my friends,
“I love you guys.”

D’awws were heard from all around except for Ace who was too busy turning a sleeping Spike’s head into a nest.

I lazily sunk back even further providing my back with a well-deserved rest from my years of work. Twilight started to explain the plan of how all the ponies I’ve helped (including Commander Beard and Garrus) were planning on this wonderful gift and were distracting me to attain it.

I completely ignored her entire speech and I quickly fell in to the most comfortable sleep I’ve ever experienced in years.

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

“And then there’s was Applejack and she--,”

Fluttershy put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, “Twilight, he fell asleep.”

“Good, kid deserves some rest. There’s no way to predict what might happen in the future, may be why he needs to train so much,” Beard said.

“He’s a doing this to a protect us, what a wonderful Assassino!” Mareio excitingly said.

Nods of approval followed but then Garrus abruptly said, “He’s lazy.”

Silence spread across the room as the atmosphere changed with Garrus receiving glares.

He facehoofed.

“I meant lazy as to NOT have time to rest. Damn my sarcastic jokes, I knew I should’ve just calibrated my gun again…”

He pulled out his gun and began calibration #58 of the day.

A few minutes later of clearing some papers and other stuff with Applejack the last one to leave she turned over to Shadow Mark and gently gave him a sweet kiss on the forehead.

“Sweet dreams Shadow, you’ve earned them,” she said as she quietly left his side and to his comfortable slumber.