Chapter 6 - Doctors, Politicians and Assassins

Six Hours After The Battle Of New Mareland

Two stallions stood over an operating table, before them was a bleeding mess of a stallion. The stallion had a silver coat and an orange mane that almost looked like it was burning. Both were stained with blood, his wings were ruined and his hind-legs crippled. The two stallions standing over him were talking.

"Can anything be done for him, doctor?" Tick Tock was anxious, something was important about this stallion, he just knew it.

The other stallion tittered as he examined the wreck of a stallion before him. "Dear oh dear.... What a mess you've brought me. I prefer working on whole ponies you know." The doctor finished his sentence in a whimsical tone. "But there's potential here, oh yes, so much potential. A body so utterly destroyed is in need of replacement parts."

"What are the extent of his injuries, doctor?"

The doctor stallion paused lifting a checklist he had with his claw. "The patient has two permanently disfigured hind-legs, a pair of broken wings, a collapsed lung, multiple skeletal fractures, a severe loss of blood and various other problems his current body will continue to plague him with for some time."

Tick Tock looked at the stallion on the table, he knew this individual was important but it was doubtful he'd survive any normal form of surgery. Then again, he had a very creative surgeon on hand, a surgeon famous for doing the impossible. "Can you do it? Can you save this devoted servant of the Queen?"

The doctor paused; a slightly predatory gleam appearing in his mismatched eyes as a sharp toothed smile broke across his face. "Oh, I can do it, Tick Tock, my old friend. I can make him better. In fact as part of my payment I want to give him all the enhancements I can fit in. Such extensive damage means he'll need lots and lots of replacement parts." The doctor frowned for a moment as something occurred to him "Of course I'll need your full permission to fix everything I see as a problem."

Tick Tock paused for a moment, realizing what he was about to do to the stallion on the table. The horror that would be inflicted on the brave stallion seemed an unfair reward but Tick Tock found himself nodding. "I give you my full blessing to do as you want. Bar messing with this stallion's head."

The Doctor beamed and happily trotted over to the double door entrance to get supplies. Tick Tock looked sadly on the stallion, barely held back from the edge of death by various machines plugged into his body. At the moment, he was nothing but living meat and a mind.

"I apologize for the pain you are about to experience. A sedative coupled with the doctor's methods would likely send you into a coma or shock." Tick Tock raised a hoof and placed it gently on the immobile stallion's shoulder who winced in pain. "I won't leave you to suffer this alone, I will be watching."

The double doors opened as the doctor returned wearing a harness with various spider-like arms. Each arm had a different tool and all of them were wrapped in the purple glow of his magic. Behind the doctor came three others, a griffon, a diamond dog and a stallion earth pony, his 'apprentices'. Each was carrying some important part of the procedure. A neat stack of containers emanating a cold fog were placed beside the operating slab. A large pumping machine already full of blood was sitting on stand by. The earth pony was setting up what looked like a blender, of all things, beside the operating table.

"You'll need this, if you're staying to watch." The diamond dog's voice rumbled as he handed Tick Tock a fool body covering and a pair of goggles. "We've got to be sterile... and there's going to be a lot of blood." The diamond dog lumbered back over to his fellow surgeons as they all put on surgical get-ups. Tick Tock complied with the diamond dog's advice and suited up, leaving his robe and cloak in a locker as the surgeons had done, but kept his hidden blades on underneath his coverings, he felt uncomfortable without them.

The doctor was ready to begin. To an uneducated person, they looked like they would be performing surgery. To someone of a medical persuasion it would look like a butcher was ready to work and keep the cow he was butchering alive. To Tick Tock it was a mixture of both. He watched as the blades of the doctor's apparatus descend and began slicing off the tail and hind legs. The immobile stallion was awake but couldn't scream, his mouth was bound shut by thin, white wires.

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Two Days Later

Pyretread's head hurt, his eyes hurt, everything hurt. He tried to open his eyes, but couldn't move them. Panicking, he moved his legs knocking something over. The crash sounded heavy, like a metal machine or cabinet had been brushed aside. He tried to rise but a hoof to his chest halted him, followed by a sharp nip as the cold length of a needle entered his throat and injected a numbing solution.

The cool numbing feeling spread to his head quickly, calming him down. He was frightened but he was no longer panicky. He vaguely recalled signaling for help, perhaps someone found him and he was recovering in the castle hospital. He frowned remembering his wings and hind legs had been out of commission, he would no doubt be relocated to a job like recruiting new stallions or serving as a living example of failure. If it was all he could do as the Queen's servant then he would do his duty.

"Ah.... You're awake. Good, I was hoping we could have a chat." Pyretread turned left and right, listening for the source of the voice. "I'll be honest, you'll likely want to run off back to the castle. But I can assure you that won't be necessary. At the moment you are considered dead"

The voice's words sunk in. Dead? but he has a duty to perform, he can't just-

His thoughts were cut off as the voice continued. "You would probably be killed on sight anyway. You don't exactly look or even work the same way any more." Pyretread didn't understand, he felt fine now he was numbed up..., strange but fine.

He heard mismatched hoof steps as someone else entered the room. "Ah. Tick Tock, I see our lucky stallion is finally awake. Amazing what banned medicine can do for a pony's health hmmm?"

Pyretread felt an unnatural urge to shed his skin and run away. Something about that voice made him shudder. He felt an appendage, he wasn't sure what to call it wrap around his head. "It's time to remove these bandages. Welcome him back to the daylight... or should I say moonlight?"

Pyretread's face immediately felt looser and less squashed as something heavy was removed from his head and then thin bandages layered around his eyes were peeled off. The light was dim behind his eyes as the last bandage was removed and he blinked. He was in some kind of sterile room, the surfaces gleamed with a streak free shine, that only a meticulous cleaner could accomplish.

"Over here." The creepy voice called, Pyretread turned to the source and saw a menacing spider pony. He tried to move back but his limbs felt odd, he fell off the bed away from the doctor and scrabbled uselessly on the ground. "Oh deary me. Tick Tock, he seems defective. Are you sure I can't interest you in letting me give him a mechanical leg? I'm sure I can convince Clockwork to make him one, then again we haven't been on the best of terms since I replaced his mechanical hoof with a -"

"This... will be fine. Thank you, Dr. Feelgood. You've done more than enough." The doctor shrugged, Pyretread realizing the spider like appearance was brought on by a strange harness the doctor was wearing. The appendage he felt earlier could be seen, more a claw or a tendril. It was wrapped around his right hoof, four finger like appendages clasped tightly. He opened them as a diamond dog would his paw and scratched his chin before he turned and left.

"Sorry about that. I had to give him a lot of freedom, just to save your life. Oh, I'm Tick Tock by the way." The stallion's voice had a pang of guilt to it as he extended his hoof to help Pyretread up. Pyretread gripped it in his claw. Pyretread released Tick Tock staring aghast at the appendage attached to him. It was a dragon's claw, his foreleg was coated in a layer of silver fur but his actual claw was green and scaled. He looked at his other foreleg and saw it was a large griffon's talon, it opened and closed as he sat on his haunch uncomfortably. He looked back and saw he had a manticore's scorpion tail, it curled up as he reacted in revulsion and tried to trot away from it stumbling on unfamiliarly strong back legs.

Pyretread looked at his left flank and saw he had a pony leg, he turned to his right and saw the same, they were both stronger than he was used to. Tick Tock stood still giving Pyretread time to come to grips with his new body. He watched the chimera get used to the stronger hind legs and watched him stand up.

"This is all new to you so I'll explain what happened on that fateful night two days ago." Pyretread looked at the stallion with his mismatched eyes, and nodded letting Tick Tock continue. "You don't remember much, especially since I forced you to eat a hoofful of sleeping grass. Your body relaxed allowing me to patch up many of the smaller and serious injuries. I knew you'd bleed out so I had my apprentice, Dagger, go and fetch Crow."

The stallion paused, closing his eyes as he relived the moments. "We teleported to Manehatten over several teleporting jumps. It is very tiring for Crow to do such things and we had to stop every now and then to patch you up, as your bindings came loose due to the constant teleporting."

Tick Tock paused once more and took a deep breath. "We arrived after the twenty fifth jump. Only someone like Crow and maybe that lavender companion of the queen could manage such a task." Tick Tock opened a small bag lying on top of a table. "We'd never have found you without these actually, you had a few of them on you when we first found you." Tick Tock passed him the bag, which Pyretread took in his new Talon.

"Anyway, back to the story. So after arriving I managed to find an old friend of mine and Crow's. Dr. Feelgood, he's an expert on the field of impossible medicine. For example, it should be medically impossible for all these different parts to be on a pony body and function so well. That's why I chose him."

Pyretread recalled something happening to him after the sleep-weed, he woke up in a sterile room, but it was bigger than this one. He recalled a stabbing pain and then feeling nothing as something was missing. He'd tried to scream but his mouth had been tied shut, and then he must have passed out from pain because he didn't remember anything else.

"Thank... you, for sa...ving me." Pyretread's mouth felt different, he used his tongue to feel around his mouth and felt two pairs of canine teeth.

"Your body works differently now too, you might notice your new canines? A personal touch of Dr.Feelgood, he decided an alternative to a vegetarian diet was in order." Tick Tock tapped a hoof to his chin in thought. "Oh and you have a new stomach too, and a new set of lungs. And do you like the wings? Griffin wings, much stronger than Pony wings..., though less flexible."

Tick Tock's words left Pyretread numb, how was he supposed to respond to being saved and yet so thoroughly changed?

"You aren't a monster, you're simply different." He smiled kindly before continuing "Tick-tock, tick-tock. You have a choice stallion. Come with me and serve your Queen. Or try to go back and be killed mistaken for a monster. I doubt Queen Moon will let you get close in your current form."

Pyretread looked himself over again, holding back his thoughts of running off. Tick Tock offered him a chance to serve the Queen and he would take it. He nodded his head and let Tick Tock lead him out of the building.

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Tick Tock arrived back home, his newly acquired trainee hidden beneath a heavy cloak and jacket. It was a tiresome trip back. He still had to make it to New Mareland. Shade should be back with Snowball and Dagger by now. He trotted round the front and almost did a double take, enjoying the feeling of pleasant surprise at Shade playing with fillies his own age. He seemed to be coaching an orange pegasus filly on flight. With limited success.

A pile of construction supplies lay besides Shade's pet project for Rust, a project Shade had been utterly devoted to since they had finished shifting the bodies.

"Who's the kid?" Asked Pyretread peering round the edge of the house.

"That's Shade, he's... one of my apprentices." Tick Tock watched Shade with a sense of pride. He hadn't seen him look so innocent in a long time. Perhaps I should have- He cut his own trail of thought remembering Dagger's words. He had to learn from his examples of his twisted kindness. Shade, Dagger and his new trainee would always be there to remind him.

"Let's go in the back door, I'll let him play a little longer." Tick Tock turned and led the way round the back.

The door was locked, requiring Tick Tock's house key, he pulled it out of a small pocket in his vest and led Pyretread inside. The smell of simmering broth caught their attention as they entered. Crow had left clear instructions on the fridge which Tick Tock began reading. Pyretread walked in and started looking around the kitchen. His new stomach grumbled which caught Tick Tock's attention.

"You're hungry I see, that's good. If you weren't hungry after two days unconsciousness, I would be very worried." Tick Tock sounded cheerful as he opened the fridge and pulled out a carrot, a gem and a piece of steak.

"Wondering about the meat and gem? I occasionally have to meet creatures that have very different diets to ponies and it makes them much more approachable if you show some culinary sensitivity."

Tick Tock placed the items on a plate and brought them over to Pyretread leaving them on the counter. "I need you to stay and watch the broth. Follow these instructions." Tick Tock left the note besides the plate. "I have some business to take care of elsewhere tonight. You are permitted to go into the rooms on the bottom floor, everything upstairs is locked and protected."

Tick Tock got up and left the bewildered Pyretread as he went out the back door and trotted round to the front of the house.

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Shade stood by offering encouraging words and support as Scootaloo practiced wing-ups with the training barbells he'd given her. She could open them easily with the weights. It was lifting and closing she had trouble with. "You're doing fine. Give it another few days and we might be able to get you airborne like me."  His comment made Scootaloo smile as she continued her practice.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were play fighting with sticks. They'd gotten interested after noticing his broadsword and he decided to show them how it was done. He sparred with Dinky who was surprisingly good with a stick, even if it was only mock playing. Despite that, he was giving them real lessons, the sticks clacked against each other as Dinky tried to disarm Shade. His superior strength and training easily won out and he sidestepped turning her force against her. She stumbled forward but he quickly caught her, not wanting his new friend to get hurt.

Friends, they were so easy to make. Why had he had so much trouble before now? He admittedly hadn't gotten around to speaking with many colts and fillies and his darker impulses had kept him occupied since his parent's deaths and his adoption by Tick Tock.

"Hey Shade? Whose tha tall fella?" Shade turned and saw Applebloom point out the unmistakable form of Tick Tock. He seemed at ease as he approached Shade. A small smile on his face, Tick Tock was happy? His master was happy he made friends? He had been encouraging Shade to go out more, maybe this was what he meant.

"Hello Shade" His face had a fatherly smile on it. "Made some new friends I see?"

"Yes, yes I did." Shades answer was flat and monotone but Tick Tock seemed not to notice.

"Well Shade, I would love to let you play all night. But I need a driver. I'll have to inform Snowball and Dag... Nah, they'll be fine. They won't worry about you, they know you're a big colt." Shade blushed a little as his adoptive father talked about him. "Tick-tock. Shade, we really must be off. You can visit your friends tomorrow, I have someone else who can pull the carriage when you aren't around then."

Shade nodded and ran off to hook himself into the sky chariot. Tick Tock climbed in and looked at the staring fillies. "Tick-tock my dears, are you coming? Hop in. I have candy."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo complied, Sweetie Belle and Dinky stood still. "Mom said never accept rides from strangers offering candy." Sweetie belle nodded in agreement as Tick Tock rolled his eyes. "Girl's, I'm Shade's father. I'm hardly a stranger now am I? So hop in, I have a very important appointment to keep." A little reluctantly Sweetie Belle and Dinky climbed in.

"Hey, haven't we met y'all before?" Tick Tock nodded. "You met me when you went to see Zecora. A fine zebra mare if I do say so myself." He waited as Shade settled into his harness more comfortably before letting Shade pull the sky carriage.

"To Ponyville, Shade, we have to drop off these delightful little fillies." They took off into the night, heading for Ponyville. "You never did tell me your names?" Tick Tock said looking at the fillies with mild interest.

"Dinky."

"Scootaloo."

"Sweetie Belle."

"Apple Bloom."

They each said their own names before speaking in unison. "And we are... THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!"

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Dagger shifted as she tried to get comfy. She hadn't been able to sit properly since the spa incident. The cafe they were at had an outdoor seating area, with small hay stacks as seats, and mushroom themed tables. It was not the image that popped in her head when she thought Cafe. Her hay seat was uncomfortable and unstable, and kept falling apart as she tried to adjust herself, until she would be better off standing.

Snowball noticed her plight as she finished making her order. She took note of her own hay stack and tutted, lighting up her horn and pulling apart both of their haystacks. Her magical aura now wrapped around the individual hay strands, pulled them together and began to knit them together into solid sheets of hay. The hay was then stacked neatly until two sturdy hay chairs replaced the sad haystacks they were sitting on.

"Much better, wouldn't you agree?" Snowball placed her left leg on the table and rested her head against her hoof.

Dagger nodded, still replaying all the incidents of the spa. Was that really Tick Tock? Did he routinely turn into other people? was Tick Tock even his real name? These thoughts plagued Dagger as she waited. Snowball kept giving her glances which Dagger took note of, it was something that could distract her thoughts and so she observed Snowball.

Her pristine white fur was like freshly fallen snow, her hooves gleamed in the moonlight and her sapphire blue eyes were piercing. Dagger did her best to avoid her eyes and found her eyes drawn to the heart shaped sapphire cutie mark. It was like an actual gem was attached to her side, it almost seemed to be glinting in the moonlight. Perhaps her fur was simply shiny from the shampoos applied, but that didn't explain how it glinted.

Dagger looked back at her own flank sadly, it was still bare and purple as the day she'd been born. "Do you enjoy looking at mare's flanks, Dagger?" Snowball's playful voice made Dagger blush and hide her face behind her menu. "It's alright if you do, darling. Our group doesn't judge other ponies preferences." Snowball flashed Dagger a small flicker of a smile before their waiter returned with their orders.

Dagger began munching on her golden, crispy chips. They were seasoned with something slightly spicy, that teased at the edges of her tongue. She watched Snowball across from her, eating her white rose salad with care and elegance, even pausing to dab her face with a napkin. Dagger tried to focus on anything other than the snow white Mare but all that came to mind was the other mare they'd met this morning.

Lady Centennial with her golden coat and silvery mane, a mare who seemed beyond perfect. She had the right muscle, the right tone, the right shape. Everything a mare could want. But she seemed too perfect, something had put Dagger off about that mare, she didn't doubt Snowball noticed it too. Snowball had done most of the speaking this afternoon. Dagger just felt less involved as Lady C. took up more and more of Snowball's attention. It should have been aggravating, but the way she spoke and handled herself seemed to diffuse any sort of confrontation.

Dagger banished the image of Lady C. and bit into her chips, doing her best to focus on their crispy texture, yellow skin and slightly spicy taste. It was almost laughably exotic, like those spa mares, their hair hung low and their coats and mane being a basic palette swap. This is ridiculous, I am not thinking of licking chocolate off those two... dammit.

Dagger tried to think of someone else and remembered the battle weary Queen Moon. Her black fur, so tantalizing and mysterious, just like the night sky. Dagger Shook her head and dispelled the image, only for the lavender mare to spring up, holding a white rose between her teeth. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! Dagger raised her hooves to her face in frustration , the action didn't go unnoticed as Snowball watched her with some worry.

"Dagger, dear. Are you feeling well?" Snowball's eyes were full of concern and curiosity

"I'm uh... fine. Just fine. I've got a lot on my mind at the moment." Dagger looked down, afraid if she looked at Snowball another bizarre fantasy might start. Dagger looked up and noticed a rainbow maned pegasi flying overhead. What would tasting that rainbow be like... Dagger squeaked, causing Snowball to give her and odd look, she looked in the same direction Dagger had been looking a second ago and smiled.

"Mmhmmmm. Inspecting the skies for griffons, are we? I find it more likely you have a thing for mares, Dagger." Dagger blushed and looked away, sighing. "Oh don't be so melodramatic Dagger. Besides, if you wanted to sleep with a mare, all you had to do was ask." Snowball winked, and blew her a kiss.

If it was possible for Dagger to blush any more, her face would've been glowing bright red. "S-S-Snowball, I c-couldn't." Dagger whined laying her head on the table.

"Dagger Darling, I see a Mare suffering in front of me. I know you're not sure about how you feel. But if you change your mind my room is always open."

The silence that stretched on after their little chat was thankfully short as the waiter returned with their dessert, strawberries and cream.

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Crow made his way across the battleground outside New Mareland. The staggering number of corpses had attracted an unprecedented number of corpse flies. The foul bugs buzzed, and fried against Crow's barrier creating a trail of dead flies behind him as he made his way to the castle. As Crow walked he noticed an unusual flower growing amongst all this death, a white rose with a wide circle of land around it clear of any death or decay, even the flies seemed to stay at the borders. He made a mental note to tell Tick Tock, he was always interested in unique and odd plants, and a white rose that bloomed after a battle had to be high up on the list.

The city gates were unguarded, which suited Crow's purposes well. He ducked into an incomplete shell of a building and took out an amulet with a pair of fangs on it. The amulet weighed several pounds, weighted by the blood of Lord Rust and the condensed magic within. He silently hoped that nothing would disrupt the Royal Court, he would be powered down for at least a day to recover his full strength, after all the magic he had forced himself to use today, like a construction worker or a farmer who had been working too hard and strained a muscle requiring a day's rest.

The amulet felt heavy and made him bend a little lower than was comfortable, which was fine, he was impersonating an elderly stallion after all. The amulet sparked and he felt it's effect work on him. His back arched a little, his shins felt weaker, his whole body was weaker and the cloth and armor he now wore felt pompous and too boastful. Crow sighed as he wrapped the armor in his magic, making small alterations to make it more humble, Lord Rust was supposed to be a humble broken stallion. Not a bold and boastful fool who tried to lead a ragtag group of ponies against the Queen.

The armor morphed and distorted, changing into a much more comfortable shape and felt it ease the pinching it did on his sides. Crow looked around sure no-one had noticed him and began trotting towards the castle, scanning the sky. Crow kept watch for Tick Tock's sky carriage, and spotted it's trademark navy blue painted body passing overhead about a hundred feet. Shade's small form was practically invisible against the night sky as he pulled the carriage to a full stop and lowered it. Crow trotted over to the landing zone, cursing Rust's older body for being so slow.

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Tick Tock felt the sky carriage settle down gently, hidden by one of the unfinished shops that the town's builders were putting together, he exited the Carriage along with Lady C., they had both been uncharacteristically silent since Ponyville. Shade unbuckled himself when the Rust imposter appeared.

"RUST! YOU WILL DIE!" Shade yelled leaping on the surprised Crow, much to Tick Tock's horror only for shade to leap off Crow a second later. "Gotcha" He giggled and trotted away, leaving Crow with a mixture of confusion and relief.

That was odd, even for Shade. He doesn't normally do jokes. Crow shook his head, derailing that particular train of thought, as he waited for Tick Tock and Lady C. to step out of the sky carriage.

"Ah Crow darling, how nice to see you again."Lady C. flashed him a small smile. "I'm sorry you have to impersonate that oaf of a stallion." She exited the carriage wearing an elegant gold dress and a pair of pearl earrings. A golden bracelet adorned her right hoof and she wore a set of soft white socks on her hoofs that complimented her dress.

Crow merely nodded to her and looked away as he waited impatiently.

"Tick Tock, Tick-" A small smile crept on Crow's face as Tick Tock gave Lady C. an annoyed look.

"That's my line."

Lady C. chuckled softly and trotted over alongside Crow, leaning on him with her shoulder. "Don't fret Darling, I only did it once earlier. You know how I love messing with your new apprentices."

Tick Tock sighed again. "Confound you, my Lady, you've driven Crow to drink." Crow paused levitating his hidden flask away again and grunting in annoyance.

"Well we've wasted enough time here, Crow you know what you have to do. Lady C. keep an eye on the nobles and catch up with any of your old acquaintances. Shade and I will be scoping out the Castle for places we can monitor the Queen undetected."

The three Ponies moved out, Tick Tock leaving to find Shade whilst Crow and Lady C. went to the Queen's Royal Court.

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Shade trotted along the roof of the Castle. He was invisible against the black castle, his white tail and mane hidden under his cloak. Shade was scanning the skies and taking note of the dryness in the air. The air should have more moisture in it and less cloud cover.

Flying higher, Shade looked at the clouds as only a pegasus can, noticing small details like the moonlight shining through clouds vaguely silhouetting certain figures. Shade took a head count, around five individuals and began scanning the ground and then the surrounding towers. There were no others immediately visible, but Shade suspected there were others watching. He slipped into the shadows and spotted Tick Tock, he was on a balcony below him, watching him with a small smile on his face.

Shade hovered down to him, and landed softly on the railing of the balcony. "How many did you see Shade? I personally noted four hiding out in the castle grounds."

Tick Tock nodding his head in the direction of the hiding griffons. Shade could barely make them out, but noticed a head move past a darkened window of a tool shed and a slow, gentle movement of what might have been a paw or talon hiding in the shadow of the structure.

"I noted five in the cloud cover. Though more may be hiding around the spires of the Palace." Tick Tock nodded, a plan forming in his mind as he worked out how many griffons he could kill from the ground.

"We'll need Crow, come Shade we'll wait for this business to conclude and then we'll show these griffon upstarts how a real assassin works." Shade hopped down beside Tick Tock and together they blended into the crowd of ponies making it's way to the Royal Court.

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The nobles stood gossiping and chatting away amongst themselves. They held themselves with a certain degree of arrogance and a decorum of politeness, partially forced by some. Crow hated it, he hated acting like this, hated socializing with these upper crust snobs and most importantly hated being dressed up like one. He felt like a fish out of water, amongst these ponies. He watched Lady C. slip off into the crowd to begin sowing seeds of support for Queen Moon whilst he made his painfully slow way towards the throne.

The Queen to any observant eye was bored. Crow noted how she stole glances at the exotically dressed Lavender Unicorn beside her. There was definitely more going on than Tick Tock had suspected, a possible romantic relationship would place her under Tick Tock's protection, alongside the Queen. As Crow approached the Queen he noticed Tick Tock and Shade had slunk into the room. Their dark and drab outfits making them stand out amongst the crowd of ponies.

He noticed Fancy Pants, the one stallion he could respect in this room for his management skills. He was fourth in line to see the Queen three other Lords with empty words stood in front of him meaning the Queen might become embittered and might not speak to Fancy Pants if these foals ruined her mood. Thankfully he had something to offer which should brighten her mood considerably.

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Shade watched Fancy Pants give his little welcome speech to the Queen. Shade liked this stallion, perhaps it was that mustache of his or how well he handled himself. So much like Tick Tock, only Tick Tock had taken time to care about him. He briefly wondered what serving under Fancy Pants would be like when he felt Tick Tock restrain him as he unconsciously began walking forward and unsheathing his blade at the sight of Blueblood.

Tick Tock gave him a warning look, which had a very sobering effect. Shade placed his blade firmly back in its sheath before anypony noticed, and focused his attention on the stained glass windows surrounding the room. They seemed very egotistical, like Crow when he knew something no-one else had any clue about and became the groups expert on it. Shade felt a smile spread on his face as he watched the Queen force Blueblood to writhe and squirm, if he couldn't have him at least he'd die painfully. His hope shattered when the Queen released him and he felt Tick Tock pat him comfortingly on his back. He leaned into Tick Tock who made no objection instead whispering to him.

"I doubt the Queen is through with that lout Shade, continue to watch."

Shade nodded and saw Blueblood try to rise only for the lavender mare to slam him back down with her own magic. He definitely liked this mare. I wonder if she'd like our games? She'd make an excellent game master.

Don't judge based on first impressions, she's likely just protective of the queen.

That final sobering thought saddened Shade but knew it would probably please his Master to see such a devoted guardian.

He watched as the queen teleported Blueblood away. He sighed a little. Don't worry there are plenty of birds outside to play with.

Yesss! The birds shall feel true terror tonight, Shade. Red and Watchers voices danced through his head. Watcher insisted he take his time whilst Red insisted he kill them as brutally and efficiently as possible.

He felt Tick Tock begin to move and turned to follow him. Crow was speaking with Fancy Pants and signing some forms with his teeth whilst Lady C. idly chatted with Fancy Pants. It would be about a half hour before Crow and Lady C. exited the hall. Crow ducked into an unused room and pulled off the amulet reverting to his old form. Shade watched him pack the amulet away, folded in several layers of cloth.

"I say good show Crow, you seemed to have the Queen and royal court fooled. I daresay you could've had everypony signing off their lands to Queen Moon if we gave you time to work." Crow grumbled at Lady C.'s response.

"I hate acting like that Sweet Centennial. That Fancy Pants fellow is the only tolerable person in that room short of the Queen and her... consort."

Tick Tock was examining his crystal watch and frowning. "My friends we cannot tarry, Shade and myself, Avid bird-watchers that we are have spotted something unpleasant." He paused for dramatic effect, Lady C. rolled her eyes at him. "An invasive bird species has infiltrated our fair land. The notorious griffon, thankfully, we've spotted only a small number of them here. Ten in all."

"Allow me a moment to change, dears, I would hate to get blood on my new dress." Lady C. drifted into the room Crow had left and began changing. Shade and Crow mimicked each other as they tapped their hoofs impatiently. A royal guard saw them and began approaching.

"You don't have authority to be here." The guard spoke in his best authoritarian tone but only elicited a giggle from the colt in the group of ponies.

"Shade, do be a sport and knock him out" Tick Tock spoke with a casual tone as if he was asking Shade to fetch him the newspaper.

Shade leapt forward and tackled the guard. They clattered to the floor as Shade scrambled onto his back and gripped his skull. Using his powerful wings he pulled the stunned guard pony and slammed him into the wall, knocking him out.  

Lady C. exited wearing a velvet purple robe and turned to Shade frowning. "Tsk tsk Shade, you know it's too early for your games." Shade hid his blush and looked away hovering behind Tick Tock.

Crow levitated the guard pony over to him and performed a quick memory wipe spell. He then levitated the unconscious guard into the room Lady C. had vacated and placed him on the guest bed.

"Let's depart, the night is eternal and the griffons won't stay there all night." Tick tock led his merry band out of the castle to begin their own assassin's hunt.

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Blackbird yawned, barely able to stifle it as Ripper gave her look of disapproval. Blackbird was a griffon, and like the other ten griffons staking out the palace, she was an outcast. Each of them had lost their clan affiliation, it was something that they didn't speak about. Back in Griffonia they were considered as undesirable and untrustworthy, barely able to keep jobs. Many outcasts or clan-less had to turn to crime or mercenary work.

Worse still was the fact that any griffon born of an outcast would also be considered an outcast and be unable to join the greater part of griffon society. The only sure-fire way was an outcast could rejoin the rest of the griffons was royal pardon which extended to all descendants or adoption into a clan. Many famous or powerful griffons that were cast out would be accepted into another clan.

No such luck for Blackbird. She had been born clan-less out in the countryside. She reflected on what life would've been like had she been born to a clan, able to roost in a comfortable home with fellow clan members and family. She sighed and began inspecting her crossbow, Bianca. Bianca was a custom piece, modified overtime by various earth ponies, unicorns, griffons and zebras. It was unique and the only gift of her griffon mate.

"Ripper? How long has the Queen been in court now?" Ripper gave Blackbird a sharp look before shaking his head.

"An hour at most hatchling, you'll get your shot at the queen soon enough." Blackbird scowled. She hated being called a hatchling, she was fourteen and more than capable than the seven other's sent to kill the queen.

"Over there, look." Ripper pointed his talon at two ponies strolling the grounds. Ripper watched them with a fierce determination. They walked slowly and leisurely, almost like they were trying to be seen.

Odd that two ponies would just stroll the city alone, these ponies have been keeping in little groups since they arrived. Blackbird's trail of thought was halted when she saw the light flicker on in the tool shed she and Ripper were hiding behind. Ripper hissed angrily and yanked the door open.

"Deadbolt what are y-" He stopped mid-sentence as he saw the grisly sight of Deadbolt, his chest was cracked open. The flesh of his chest forcibly peeled back to reveal the ribcage and the beating organs underneath. All the muscle was gone leaving bare and bloody bone. The shed was most disturbingly bone dry, no blood anywhere. Deadbolt looked up a bloody tear leaking from his left eye.

"Killll meeee..." Deadbolt managed to croak, his voice strained and causing him to speak with a lisp. Ripper moved forward to perform the act of mercy when the roof fell in. Blackbird who had stayed back saw a pony in a deep blue cloak driving a blade neatly into the ear of Ripper.

Ripper's body spasmed until the pony removed the blade and looked up. His eyes were hidden under the cloak but a small frown was visible on his muzzle.

"I'm sorry about this, but I cannot let you harm my Queen." The stallion leapt forward and began galloping forward. Blackbird instinctively took to the air and aimed her precision crossbow. The stallion was a blur as he moved at an impressive speed. She fired off a volley, shooting three bolts in quick succession, at the quicksilver stallion. He leapt to an impressive height and threw several small capsules at her.

Blackbird had fought enough zebra to recognize an alchemy capsule and swooped lower. She was within reach of the stallion, but he was also closer to her. She primed her crossbow and fired off three volleys. The nine bolts fired would skewer a slower stallion but this one was much quicker. He leapt into the air and she fired a fourth volley.

To her horror the stallion unfolded his cloak, and used the wind to pull him out of harms way. She saw him leap again and latch onto one of her wings. She twisted in the air, trying to dislodge him and aimed her crossbow at him. She pulled the trigger and felt two bolts pierce her wing and a grunt of pain from the stallion confirmed she hit him. They crashed to the ground a short distance from each other.

Blackbird panicked when she noted her crossbow was missing, searching around she saw it had landed a short distance away. The stallion was also getting up, he gripped the bolt stuck in his foreleg and started tugging it out. Not wasting any time, Blackbird forced herself into a sprint, her hind legs launching her forward. She gripped the handle in her talons and turned expecting the stallion to still be tugging. Instead his wound was closed and he was charging her.

She hefted her crossbow but realized it was jammed, she moaned and pulled out the small blade tied to the tip of her weapon. The stallion leapt towards her, both his fore-hooves raised. She saw the glint of his hidden blade and deflected the first blow. The second blade cut open her talon as she raised it to defend herself. She gripped the blade and managed to yank it off the surprised stallion who quickly leapt back.

"Tick-tock, Tick-tock. Impressive. Tell me what clan are you so I might send your body back to be buried with respect."

Blackbird growled "I'm clan-less, there's no-one waiting for me." Not anymore.

"Ah... So you aren't tied down by all that Clan nonsense then?" The stallion seemed to relax.

"No, I'm not. I'm trying to get into griffon society, taking down your Queen is the only way." She managed to fix the firing mechanism on her crossbow, but her injured Talon made it impossible to wield. The stallion across from her tittered.

"Ah my dear, how narrow your vision is. You don't seem to realize how much a clan will tie you down." The stallion had an odd smile on his face, like he was smiling but thinking of something else entirely. "Tell me, my feathered friend, have you noticed what's odd about tonight?" The stallion examined his remaining blade whilst he waited for her answer. Blackbird hadn't noticed it until now, the pain in her hand and the pumping of her heart as well as the adrenaline rush had pushed everything out of her head. The night was deadly silent, her fellow griffons were nowhere to be seen or heard.

"I-It's too quiet. What are you doing? Are you a unicorn, are you messing with my head?" She glared angrily as the stallion chuckled.

"Oh, far from it my dear, you're the sole survivor of your little group. You're injured and can't fly away for long or fight for very long either." The stallion looked up a toothy smile flashed across his mouth. "Besides you can't escape anyway, my friends have us surrounded."

Blackbird stopped and looked up seeing a pegasus colt carrying a large sword and an unnatural grin glinting in the moonlight. She looked around and saw the unicorn and earth pony from earlier. Both sticking to different sides of the battlefield, ready to pounce. She grimaced realizing she was beat and recalled what they did to Deadbolt.

Closing her eyes Blackbird lifted her blade to her throat only for the blade to be pulled away. She opened her eyes and saw her blade wrapped in a red aura. She stepped back now, realizing everything she had hoped to gain was gone she fell on her haunches awaiting her painful and horrific death.

"Tick-tock. Do you want to come with us?" Blackbird looked at the stallion, his face had a kind smile on it.

"Why would you want someone like me? I-I, I'm a nobody." Her voice was full of sorrow as she spoke.

She felt the stallion's hoof rest comfortingly on her shoulder, whilst the other removed his bracer from her grip.

"Oh, you're hardly a no-one my Dear. You had the courage to try and kill Queen Moon and you went hoof to hoof with an experienced assassin. You held the advantage for a good part of the battle. And I'm always looking for new talent." Blackbird smiled a little, it was a sad smile but it was better than nothing. "Tick-tock, what's your answer? We've got a busy night my dear."

The griffon nodded numbly and heard two sets of hoofs clapping whilst the voice of the unicorn stallion groaned and started walking away. Back to where the battle began.

"Excellent my Dear, you won't regret your decision. Lady C., I need you to go back to the manor and make sure my other new Acolyte isn't getting into trouble. Shade my boy, I need you to assist Crow in the clean up." Shade pouted and folded his fore-hooves irritably.

"Then come as soon as you can. We can take some time to finish your little project." Shade brightened at that and flew off to start the clean up operation with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

"Come, my new Acolyte, oh and drink this, it'll deal with that nasty slash across your talon." He handed the griffon a small blue vial which she downed. a puff of smoke enveloped her.

"Hey what gives?" She emerged from the cloud as a pale blue Pegasi, her crossbow strapped to her back and a small griffon head as a Cutie Mark.

"Well my dear, I believed it would be rather difficult to explain why a griffon is here in the capital unannounced. We can slip out like this. I have a smith friend I need to see and I'm sure he can take a look at your crossbow for you."

Blackbird reached a hoof onto her back and stroked the unique weapon as Tick Tock led her out of the city, towards the Everfree Forest.

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A single griffon remained. The last of the ten sent here to kill the queen. He was the leader, he was responsible for them. And he had let them all down. He pulled out the small green vial around his neck and examined the deadly substance under the pale moonlight. He would avenge his fallen comrades and slay the Queen that had employed them. Confident she would be relaxed and more at ease, not expecting a surprise attack from him.

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Author's Notes: Oh man this took forever to do. I kept nearly finishing it. But realised it wasn't ready and had to keep adding to it. I be you were all surprised that Lady.C was someone else? Well she was originally going to be Tick Tock just under the Gender switching effects of Poison Joke. But I decided a separate person would be better. Anyway's I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I got more plans for Tick Tock and the gang, and their are plenty of side-stories that will leave you all wondering what's going to happen next.

Feel free to comment and do some fan-art, I need a better cover image dammit.

Special thanks to Jekyll for his edits