----------A couple of days later…-----------------

I’m sitting at my mahogany desk writing off the list of things needed to completely call this an Assassin Hideout.

Enough hidden blades and assassin robes for everyone…

I looked over to the weapons counter and saw several shining blades and assassin clothing, courtesy of Rarity who got the designs from Twilight’s book.

Check.
These are really good quality. I’m impressed with Rarity’s attention to detail.

I headed towards the door where we recently installed the broken stairway of the clock tower.
As of today, the stairway has been repaired so instead of having to climb broken railings, wooden beams and scaffolds we can easily climb up the new stairs.

Check.

I headed back towards the centre of the main chamber and looked around me. There were 7 stations (including my desk, my mahogany desk) each tailored to their respective ponies.

Twilight’s station had a built in library lined with assassin tomes and invention sketches, there is even a little workspace for Spike who can do most of the bookkeeping.
Fluttershy had a miniature garden and assortment of flowers and plants. If need be she can also collect ingredients from the roof garden as well as various areas around Ponyville. She also has a cabinet filled with alchemic devices, medicines and poisons.

Pinkie Pie’s area featured a sign specifically saying, “DANGEROUS MATERIALS! DON”T MAKE ANYTHING NEW WITHOUT APPROVING WITH SHADOW-MARK. THAT INCLUDES YOU PINKIE.”
Besides the giant warning sign there were cabinets lined with various substances and bombs. From simple smoke bombs to shrapnel shells, Pinkie had pretty much everything to make anything.

Pray Celestia, we don’t get a hole in the wall… Or something worse…

EPIC FORESHADOWING

Rarity’s station had everything needed to repair anything you need. She can even make weapons with pristine accuracy and attention to detail; turning a butter-knife into a dangerous rapier. There is no questioning, there is only…Rarity. Asides from a repair station she also has a huge contact list for everypony whose anypony on her desk.

Rainbow-Dash’s station is where our armory is located as well as our weapons cache. Her station has maps from everywhere around Equestria. It’s a bit barren but only because she prefers to work outside.

Or nap on a cloud for the whole day.

Applejack had told me in the beginning that she just wanted a desk and nothing too fancy. So her station ended up looking even more barren than Rainbow’s. Rarity couldn’t stand to see it like that, by adding a few couches and a pygmy apple tree Applejack’s station looked better than it did before.

Finally there was my office at the front of the glass window of the clock tower. It was pretty basic as far as everything else. I had 2 small bookshelves on each side of the window, a puffy bed with a real pillow this time at the edge of the window. But most importantly my desk. My beautiful, beautiful mahogany desk.

Everyone had a desk or worktable of their own, but theirs was made of maple. Mine is the true mahogany…

Finally the most important thing of all in the entire hideout, and no it’s not Ace’s quarters (we gave him a sheltered coop with connects to our chamber below).

I looked down and felt it against my hooves.

CARPET!

Checking of the last of my list I carefully shuffle my way across to my bed and lie my head down.

Training begins tomorrow, how exciting! I just hope everyone will be here on time or else my strict training schedule will be useless. Now to go over the plan 1 more time…

-------5am--------------

“ATTENTION!” I looked at the 6 ponies and dragon in front of me as I addressed them from my desk.

Twilight had bags under her eyes and was carrying a full sack of books with her with Spike sleeping on her back.
Applejack was raised on a farm so it was a cakewalk to wake up this early in the day.
Pinkie was peppy and bouncing across the room.

Must be the sugar.

Fluttershy was nudging Rainbow Dash who was fast asleep.

“Rainbow… Rainbow…” nudged Fluttershy.

“Huh? *YAWN*” stretched Rainbow Dash.

“Why are we here so early in the morning anyway?” she asked me.

“SILENCE MAGGOT!” I shouted in my commander voice.

Everyone went quiet.

“You are here because YOU want to be an assassin. Well… IT’S NOT THAT EASY!” I slammed my hoof on the table.

“Your body and mind needs to be disciplined in such a way that can utilize both your skills and your unique talents!”

“By following Shadow’s NO-NONSENSE TRAINING PROGRAM, you can have the necessary skills needed to become an assassin.”

“Now I know how scary it is to commit murder. BUT! In doing so do we save the lives of hundreds of thousands of ponies! I’m not expecting you to just run around and start killing ponies, no you all need to realise this is for the greater good! The good of Equestria! The good-“

“WE GET IT!” shouted everypony.

Perhaps I gone a little overboard, maybe I should start off with something easy.

“Very well, training begins… NOW!”

“YA! Let’s start fighting!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

“No Rainbow, before we fight, we need to learn. Applejack do you have that apple I asked for?”

“Umm… ya but I don’t know why’d you need one of em.” She said passing the apple to me.

“Being an assassin is always about improvisation, planning ahead and staying true to our creed. Now turn around so I can hide the apple.” I motioned the ponies.

They all turned around and when I made sure they weren’t looking I hid the apple in my hiding place.

“Ok, you can turn back now. I’ve hidden the apple somewhere in this room. Your first test is to find it.” I told them.

“This will be easy as pie!” said Pinkie.

-----------10 minutes later----------------------

Boxes were overturned everywhere, everyone’s workstation was a mess, and documents were spread all over the carpet. Had we kept the potato sacks, we’d be having French fries and mashed potatoes for dinner.

“ARG! I CAN’T FIND IT!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

“Keep looking, it’s got to be here somewhere.” Said Applejack shoving her face in a desk drawer.

They’ll get it soon enough it’s only a matter of time-

“Wait! It must be with Shadow!” shouted Twilight.

Everypony ran towards me at lightning speed.

Uh Oh. This can’t end well.

*CRASH*

We were all paved out on the floor tired and exhausted.

“PLEASE! Just tell us where it is!” pleaded Rarity.

“Ok! Since you asked.” I cheerfully smiled.

“WHAT? JUST LIKE THAT!?”

I walked over to Applejack’s pocket and pulled out the apple where it was originally stored.

Everypony had their mouths open.

“For an assassin the easy way will get you killed, the hardest way will cost you the most time, while the best is what others won’t notice.” I said a line from the How to be an Assassin guidebook.

“Looking everywhere had cost you time and thinking it was me was a step in the right direction, but the simplest answers lie in front while the improvising lies behind.” I said pointing to my flank.

“But how did you..?” asked Twilight.

“Like I said an assassin needs to think on the spot. Now get up all of you. We’ll do the next lesson outside.” I said while we helped each other to our hooves.

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

“Ok everyone! It is 6:00am right now and for the next 4 hours I will teach you the basics of free running which is the stuff I showed you how to easily get from one place to another.” I said to everyone with the sun rising past the horizon.

“Now before we begin I need to ask you something. How did you all get to the clock tower chamber in the first place? I mean the stairs were out and I’m pretty sure most of you didn’t climb.” I asked them.

“Well as a Pegasus that CAN fly; I flew onto the rooftop with Fluttershy.” Boasted Rainbow Dash.

Oh no she didn’t! But seriously that hurt a bit.

“Me and Rarity used our unicorn magic to teleport to the top of the tower.” Said Twilight.

“What about Ace? Didn’t he try to stop you?” I asked them suspiciously.

“You have a nice eagle Shadow. I was talking to it and asking what it was doing on the tower in the first place.” Said Fluttershy.

“Well he went, *swack*. Oh, but what he was saying was, he was waiting for you.” She answered.

Ace was waiting? How did he know I would fail in my mission? Guess that eagle is smarter than I thought. Guess the old Observer really did train him well.

I looked towards Pinkie and Applejack and asked, “How did you two get up? You don’t have wings or magic.”

“Unlike everypony, I did go through the broken-down stairs and climbed my way up there.” Said Applejack.

Really!? Applejack seems to have more athletic skill than I thought and the way how shes honest to everypony and stubborn towards every challenge that lies before her. She has the true makings of an assassin.

“I BROKE THE 4th WALL!” cheerfully shouted Pinkie.

“Well that’s a useful skill; I’m surprised you know how to do it.” I said casually.

“WHAT!?” everypony shouted.

“Yes, the old assassin leader, the Observer did it all the time. He has...had great skill and wisdom… I only wish he was alive so he could share it with us.” I said sadly.

I looked to the sky and noticed a cloud. It was unlike any cloud I’ve seen before. It…it was the Observer.

“HEY SHADOW!”

“AHH! HE’S HAUNTING ME FROM THE DEAD!” I terrifyingly shouted.

“Hey Shadow! Chill out!” said Rainbow Dash.

Whew, it was Rainbow. At least I’m not being haunted-
“YOU EVER FORGET WHO I AM AND I WILL START HAUNTING YOU! Now go have some fun!”

What the fu-----------

I warped myself back to reality and said to the 6 who were all impatient from waiting, “OK! Let’s Free RUN!”

“First you need to run towards your wall not jump on it, then you reach out……..”

--------2 hours later-------------------

“Not bad Twilight!”
“You need to reach further Rarity!”
“Fluttershy stop hiding, and climb the damn wall!”
“Pinkie?... You know what I’m not even going to ask.”

“HEY Shadow! Why do I need to learn how to climb, when I can just fly?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“In some cases, there are places where you can’t fly and if you should ever hurt your wing you will at least know how to do this.” I told her.

“I’m Rainbow Dash! I doubt even you can hurt my wing!” she boasted yet again.

I pointed to the dented streetlamp on the other side of the road then to the hospital from the bandit attack.

“Darlin, you don’t remember how you hurt your wing during the pet race? Or the time when your wing caught on fire from doing a sonic rainboom that one time, and that other time-“
Said Applejack to Rainbow Dash.

“OK! OK! I’ll do the climbing, sheesh!” she said interrupting Applejack, and gets back to climbing the wall before her.

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

*WHEW* *HUFF-PUFF*

“Ok everypony! I think you are ready to face my 2nd test.” I said with a grin.

“I call this the Great Chase! Whoever is able to tackle me down, I will teach them the tricks to unlocking their special assassin talent.” I said.

Their ears perked up.

Good they’re interested. Let’s see if they can figure this test out before it gets too out of hoof.

“Now here are the rules, I will stay in Ponyville this includes the land around it, but I won’t go into the forests or houses. You can use magic ONLY if you’re falling from a building, and flying is not permitted, you can only glide to make things… fair.” I said looking at Rainbow Dash.

“I’ll use any techniques I learned to evade you as best I can, but don’t worry I won’t kill you.
Now you have 2 hours to catch me…good luck!” I said while dropping a smoke bomb at my feet.

I ran towards an alley and out onto the noticeable Ponyville streets. I sat on a bench with 2 ponies with grey fur.

Excellent, now to focus my hearing.

*BUZZ*

“-Ok, how are we going to catch Shadow?” said Rarity.

“The last time we completely messed up. If we didn’t have that letter than we would have never found him.” Said Twilight.

“Ok, listen girls I got a plan…I….working….left around…..strike….” quietly said Applejack.

Bah! Too much interference. I guess Applejack figured out how to keep the group silent. That’s good. I better change position before they find me here.

“HEY SHADOW!”

“Oh hey Pinkie….SHIT!” I ran from the bench as soon as I noticed Pinkie sitting next to me.

I ran across the groups of ponies who were starting out their routine mornings. I saw a shadow on the roof next to me and I immediately stopped. Fluttershy dropped down in front of me.

“Oh. Shoot.” She said.

“Next time try sidling next to the building and duck more lower.” I said as I darted around the corner of a post office.

I saw Twilight and Rarity guarding the path around the corner.

I shouted at them, “Why turn when I can go over?”

I flipped onto Twilight’s back and vaulted myself across and ran past them as they were dumbstruck at what just happened.

“DASH!” I heard a voice behind me.

Rainbow was dashing as much as a rainbow could dash while dashing a rainbow.

I saw stacks of boxes piled on top of each other and jumped on them onto the roof of a tall building
Rainbow Dash slipped on the boxes and fell harmlessly to the ground.

“I told you! You need to train more!” I shouted over my shoulder.

Applejack appeared on my side after climbing the building where Rainbow had failed and was ready to tackle me. We were running towards the edge of the building.

“I’m impressed! But sometimes you need to have faith in these situations!” I said jumping of the tall building.

Applejack stopped in her tracks before she fell over the edge and looked down. I fell into a cart filled with hay being pulled by a pony.

“Ah, excuse me signore.” I said to the pony as I jumped off his cart and ran towards the lake.

I looked behind me and saw the 6 ponies were gaining on me taking formation to trap me around at the lake. I stopped on a small hill overlooking the lake with the 6 ponies forming around me, slowly closing the gap.

“Nowhere left to run!” they all said.

“Sometimes you need to do things that others aren’t willing to do.” I said turning towards the lake.

I dived into the lake.

“Shadow! Gets a 6!” shouted Pinkie while holding a sign.

I resurfaced at the middle of the lake.

“Only a 6? What did I do wrong?” I shouted back to her.

“It’s because there’s a giant water snake right next to you and you landed his tail.” She happily said.

I looked to my side and saw a massive 50 foot pissed off snake glaring at me. It stuck out its mouth revealing his gleaming white fangs.

“Sorry Mr. Snake. I’ll be going now.” I said before fear took over me.

“ARRGHHHHHHHHHHH!” I screamed and paddled so fast across the lake I didn’t feel water under me.
The snake had grabbed me by my leg and threw me across the lake with me landing on the other side.

*HUFF-PUFF* *COUGH*

I was exhausted from the running, swimming, and the snake throwing me a mile, but I continued to run towards Apple Acres. I ran to Applejack’s barn and tried to open the door.

Locked.

I turned around and saw the 6 mares upon me. I slumped to the ground and sighed.

Guess I was right. These ponies are ready to work as a team. All according to plan.

They all placed a hoof on my chest at the same time.

“WE ALL WON!” they shouted, exhausted but happy.

“Well, I knew you were all good with teamwork. As assassins we may appear alone, but we work as a team.” I panted.

“SPIKE!” I shouted.

Spike came around the corner of the barn carrying 6 hidden blades.

“I got you the stuff you asked Shadow and I set up the dummies.” Said Spike.

“SPIKE? What are you doing here? What dummies?” asked Twilight still tired from running.

“Oh, Shadow led you all here so you can start part three of your training.” Answered Spike.

The ponies once again, have seen the incomprehensible thinking power that is Shadow-mark.

“Thanks Spike.” I said taking the blades from him and giving them to the ponies.

“Now we will learn about what we assassins actually do…. Assassinate.”

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

“Alright ponies! I know you’re all tired, but this is part of my no-nonsense training program. You will see how this will benefit you all. Now there are many different ways to go about killing your target.” I said to the ponies, still with exhaustion in my voice.

“You can simply walk up and stab your target.” I poked the target in the chest.

“Or if you want to be a little less discreet.” I ran towards the target jumping on it and impaling my blade into its head.

“Those are the basic skills, now there are many trick skills you can also do to effectively eliminate a target or a guard.” I said, while some ponies paid attention, Twilight was writing notes, and Pinkie Pie was being, Pinkie.

“First the ledge assassination-” I ran up to the ledge of the barn roof where Spike put a dummy there previously, stabbed it and threw it down.

“HEY! It was hard getting that up there!” shouted Spike from below.

“NOW! THE AIR ASSASSINATION!” I called down, noticing some of the ponies were taking a breather.

I jumped and landed on the training dummy I had thrown off and stabbed it in the head.

Everyone who was relaxing got up and looked at me, impressed.

“Note how I used their body to cushion my fall while inflicting theirs. Now-“ I said ducking into a hay bale near the dummy.

I reached out and stabbed the dummy in the neck and finished by pulling its body into the hay bale.

“And that’s the hidden assassination. Any questions?” I asked the stunned ponies.

“No? Good, then let’s get started.” I ushered the ponies.

“THAT”S WHAT YOU SAID THE LAST 2 TIMES!”

Training started and I saw some progress. After the trainees finished toying with the blades they gave it a try on the dummies. That is everyone except for Fluttershy.

I walked over to her to see what was wrong, “Fluttershy is something the matter?”

“I…I…. I CAN’T DO THIS! I CAN’T KILL SOMEPONY! I’M A DOCTOR NOT A MURDERER!” Fluttershy outbursts.

She was crying with tears rolling down her cheek. I wrapped my wing around her and whispered to her, “Fluttershy, you are not a murderer. You are an Assassin; we do this because there isn’t any other choice. These Templars want to hurt innocent ponies, and not just the ponies but the animals too.”

“The…*sniff*… the animals?” she asked.

“Yes, these horrible ponies won’t rest until they have global dominance meaning, THEY WILL BURN DOWN THE FORESTS AND ALL THEIR INHABITANTS! YOUR RABBIT, ANGEL WON’T HAVE ANYWHERE TO LIVE. THEY WILL EXTINCT EVERY SINGLE SPECIES THROUGH POLLUTION OR WORSE….hunting.” I said encouraging her.

“Those…big….dumb….MEANIES!” she shouted while slicing the head off of the straw dummy with her hidden blade.

Everypony else noticed Fluttershy’s rage including Spike who noticed the sliced head of straw lying on the ground and fainted.

After Spike recovered and the ponies continued to train until satisfied with their skills, we retired back at the hideout.

--------At the Hideout---------------

It’s amazing how fast these ponies can learn, especially Applejack. She made everything look like the basics.
That’s it I decided.

“Everybody! Gather around.” I said motioning them to come closer.

“You all did great work today, but remember the 2nd trial?”

“Oh oh oh! I do I do! You will help us with our special talents!” jumped Pinkie.

“Exactly. Now for the 2 weeks I’ve been here I’ve been observing each one of you hoping to see what specialist you all are.”

*Ahem*

“Now then, Rainbow Dash I noticed your speed and agility.”

“Duh.” Said Rainbow rolling her eyes.

“And that you covered ground in a short amount of time and mapped out places, thus you shall be the Scout.”

“Rarity.” I said looking at her.

“Your attention to detail is unmatched, you make wonderful items and have many contacts all around Equestria and you shall be the CraftsMare of our guild.”

“Fluttershy, you heal the wounded and have the best knowledge for plants and ingredients. What’s best is that you have a kind heart, therefore you will be our Apothecary, or Doctor.”

“Twilight, I’ve seen or rather heard your intuitiveness and organization, you have a great passion for information and with the help of Spike your specialty will be that much better. I dub thee, Bookkeeper!”

Twilight had a big grin on her face when I said books; Spike moaned and slapped his forehead.

“Pinkie Pie, your cheerful and explosive personality has left an imprint of laughter within our hearts. You shall be our explosives specialist or Pyro or “Bombardier” and Pinkie… just be careful.”

“YIPPEE!”

“Finally Applejack, yours is a talent I can’t really explain. You’re honest and you always fight to protect the truth. You’re more stubborn than me and you can adapt to any situation. That is why, Applejack I ask you to be my 2nd in command. If I ever leave the guild for some contract, quest or some shit. I’ll trust you to keep the guild running when I’m gone. Do you accept?” I asked Applejack.

“I..I don’t know what to say….Yes! Yes I will be your 2nd in command!” saluted Applejack.

“Thank you Applejack and thank you everyone. With a team like us the Templars won’t know what hit them!”

*HERE-HERE*

“Do you know what we need? A PARTY!” said Pinkie as she ran off towards her station.

“Well I was thinking the leap of faith ceremony but ok, we can do that later!” I said to everypony else.

Moments later she dragged something…something…big and covered by a sheet.

“HERES YOUR PRESENT!” she said pulling the sheet of her “present”.

“WHOE NELLY!”
“WHAT IN THE?”
“I’m scared.”
“MY WORD!”
"I...I..Don't..."

“Well? Do you like it?” Pinkie smiled.

“Umm… Pinkie…” I started.

“Where…. Where did you get that…. Nuke?”