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Description
The train's whistle shrieked as the vehicle rode out of the station. Swift Wing watched as the ponies scrambled around her, trying to deal with their luggage. All Swift had was her saddlebags. She made her way through the crowd and left the station. After following a road for a short distance, she saw her destination. The quiet little town of Ponyville. Nothing about the place really stood out, except for one thing. Near the middle of town, a giant, crystal tree castle rose above the small houses and buildings. It stuck out like a sore thumb. The castle was the residence of Princess Twilight Sparkle, the mare that Swift needed to save.

But before she did anything, Swift looked for help. She pulled out the pass code that Feather Duster had given her. She said it a few times in her head to memorize it. After placing it back in her bag, Swift headed for the center of town.

As she walked through Ponyville's streets, she noticed how nice things appeared to be. The citizens looked happy, and it wasn't the fake kind of happiness she had seen in Canterlot. Swift hoped that with the three Templars she killed out of the way, life in Canterlot would begin to improve. As she glanced around at the town, Swift failed to notice a mare that soon bumped into her. "Oh, sorry. My bad," said Swift as she straightened her scarf. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the mare in front of her.

Her coat and mane were a bright pink. Her mane looked like cotton candy and three balloons formed her cutie mark. Her blue eyes stared silently at Swift. The mare stood as still as a statue for an uncomfortable amount of time, her eyes bulging in Swift's direction. "Um," said Swift, unsure of how to react. "Are you okay?" Suddenly, the pink mare's entire body began to wobble. Swift took a slight step back. The mare’s vibration intensified until, in the blink of an eye, she darted away. Swift could barely comprehend the speed of her disappearance. She stood where she was for a moment. "So," she said to herself. "That happened."

Soon though, she returned to the task of finding the music store. After a few minutes of searching, she found a store in the middle of town, and she walked in. A white unicorn with a messy blue mane was listening to some music at the counter. Swift approached her. "Excuse me," she said. The unicorn took off her headphones. "Hey! 'Sup?" she said.

"Are you Vinyl Scratch?"

"Yep! What can I do for ya?" Swift quickly recalled the pass code she had been memorizing. "We work in the dark to serve the light," she said. Vinyl grinned. "Oh! I see. You a new recruit? I don't think I've seen you before."

"In a sense. I'm friends with your buddies in Canterlot. I'm not one of you guys, but they trust me enough to send me here on their behalf." Swift could see a slight look of suspicion on Vinyl’s face. "Feather Duster told me to meet with her younger brother, Pen Quill. We've uncovered a Templar plan to kill Twilight Sparkle." The mention of the two Assassins' names seemed to be enough to convince Vinyl. "Alright," she said. "Follow me."

The two went to a back room. On a wall was a similar lock to the one in the Eagle's Quill Library. Vinyl glanced at Swift's blades, then at the lock. Swift understood and jammed her hidden blade into the keyhole. She fumbled around a bit, and the lock mechanism opened up. A large hidden door slid open. "After you," said Vinyl. The two entered the hallway beyond, and the door closed behind them.

Soon, the two found themselves in the Ponyville Assassins' hideout. It was similar to the one in Canterlot, except it was smaller and less decorated. Swift and Vinyl entered another room. A relatively old, yellow-coated pegasus with a green mane was arranging some books on his shelf. Vinyl knocked on the doorframe. "Hey, Pen Quill, you've got a visitor," said Vinyl to the stallion. "Your sister sent her over from Canterlot. The stallion looked over at the mares, and smiled. Swift could see the family resemblance between him and Feather Duster.

"Thank you, Vinyl," he said. "You might want to head back upstairs before the customers get anxious." Vinyl nodded and gave a short salute. Then she took her leave. Pen Quill trotted over to Swift and shook her hoof. "So," he said. "What has Feather Duster sent you all the way to Ponyville for, my brother-in-arms?" Swift gave a look. "Well, technically I'm not one of your 'brothers-in-arms'," she said.

"Oh?"

"I'm not an Assassin, but don't worry, I'm on your side and I'm here to help." Pen Quill nodded. "Well, if Feather Duster trusts you, then so do I," he said. "So, what have you come to help with?"

"Back in Canterlot, we discovered a Templar plot to murder Princess Twilight." Pen Quill looked surprised. "That's not good news at all," he said. "Without Twilight, the Assassins here will lose their influence."

"In she an Assassin?"

"Oh, no. She has almost no knowledge of us and our conflict with the Templars. Nonetheless, her methods and goals align with ours, so you can imagine why we'd want to keep her alive." Swift nodded. She couldn't help but ponder something in her head.

If Twilight doesn't know anything about the Assassins and Templars, what did Celestia mean by making her "one of them"?

Nonetheless, she shook away the questions. Right now, she had to focus on keeping the Princess of friendship safe. "I'll send a few spies to gather information," said Pen Quill. "You might want to go around town and see what you can uncover." Swift nodded. "Before you go, though," continued Pen Quill. "I wouldn't suggest getting a new outfit. The one you have now works well in Canterlot, but it pretty much makes you a bullseye in a small town like this. There's a boutique not far from here that you might want to visit."

Swift nodded again. "Alright," she said. "I'll head on over there." The two nodded, said their goodbyes, and then Swift left the hideout.

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

As Swift walked through Ponyville's streets, trying not to draw attention to herself, she noticed that there were more guards patrolling then when she had arrived. Swift grew suspicious, and quickened her pace. Pretty soon, she arrived at the boutique that Pen Quill had told her to visit. A bell chimed above her head as she walked through the door. Swift looked around and the various articles of clothing. Pieces of fabric were thrown about the room. It was a mess, but something about it told her that there was a method to the madness.

"Coming!" said a mare's voice from a nearby hallway. Soon, a white unicorn with a well-groomed violet mane trotted into the room. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique," she said. "What can I do for y-" The mare froze when she laid her blue eyes on Swift. "Darling!" said the mare. "Your outfit is absolutely gorgeous!"

Swift gave a polite smile. "Thanks. I guess it is," she said.

"You guess? There's no doubt! The golden lining, the way your robes flow, that beautiful red of tour sash! To be honest I think the hood is a bit tacky, but that's beside the point. Are you from Canterlot by any chance?"

"I just arrived from there."

"Oh brilliant!" She paused. "It seems like you left at just the right time, too." Swift raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't heard? There was a series of murders that occurred in the city. Three celebrities were killed." Swift felt an odd feeling in her gut. She pretended to be surprised. "I haven't heard about that. That's awful!" she said, trying to mask her thoughts. The unicorn nodded. "Yes, it is," she said. She paused. "But let's not get down right now. Where are my manners? I'm Rarity." She stuck her hoof out and Swift shook it. "Swift Wing," she said.

"What can I help you with, Swift Wing?"

"I'm looking for an outfit that isn't as flashy as this one. I want to be able to blend in with everyone else in a small town like this." Rarity nodded. "That seems like something that I could do," she said. "Come with me." Rarity led Swift into another room and had her stand in front of a few mirrors. Swift removed her Assassin robes. Rarity took a few measurements and used her magic to fiddle with some fabrics. Swift took a glance out a nearby window. She noticed that the guards had made their way towards Twilight's castle.

"So, what’s with all the guards outside?" said Swift, trying to make small talk as well as get information. Rarity kept her eyes on her work. "Oh, Twilight's meeting with some ambassador from Dodge Junction. She isn't worried, but the I suppose the ambassador just likes to be sure of their safety."

"Who's the ambassador? Ow!" A needle pricked her leg. "Oh, sorry dear," said Rarity. "The ambassador's name is Cherry Jubilee." Swift's heart sank. "I've met her before," continued Rarity. "She was kind, even if she was a bit off."

"When is Twilight meeting with her?"

"If I remember correctly, I believe the meeting's in about twenty minutes." Swift knew she would have to act fast. After a few more minutes, Rarity finally stepped away from Swift, and looked over her work. With a satisfied smile, she said, "Alright, darling. What do you think?" Swift turned to look at her reflection in the mirrors. Her new outfit was a simple white dress. The rim of the skirt was lined in red. An eagle pattern was embroidered on the side. Swift flipped the outfit's hood to see what it looked like. She smiled and flipped her hood back down.

"It's perfect," she said. "Thank you so much. How much do I owe you?" Rarity put her hoof to her chin as she calculated the numbers. "Twenty bits," she said. Swift trotted over to her saddlebags and pulled out the coins. She passed them to Rarity, who put them on a desk. "It was a pleasure to have met you, Swift," she said. Swift nodded. "Same to you," she said. Swift stuffed her old outfit in her saddlebags. The two mares said their goodbyes, and then Swift was off. She knew she didn't have much longer before the Templars got to Twilight.

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

Swift stood by a building near Twilight's castle. Pen Quill stood next to her. "It's too well guarded to just walk in the fridge door," he said. "You'll have to climb around.

"My wing's fully healed. I can fly."

"Yes, but they'll notice you if you just fly into a window. If you stay close to the walls, you're less likely to get shot in the head with an arrow." Swift nodded. She turned her attention from the Assassin when she noticed something. At the castle's door, Cherry Jubilee and Flash Sentry were granted an entrance. The sunlight glinted off of the Templar crosses that hung around their necks. "The meeting hall is near the top floor, through that window," said Pen Quill, who pointed at the window in question. "You'd better hurry. Time's running out." Swift nodded. She pulled on her hood, and began to make her way behind the castle.

She used her wings to hop to the first ledge. She used a set of nearby stairs to continue upward. She jumped from ledge to ledge, graceful and silent as a cat. Halfway up the castle, she found another staircase. Suddenly, she froze. She heard voices from the window next to her. She carefully looked through to see Cherry Jubilee and Flash Sentry conversing with a few guards. Swift tuned her ears to listen.

"Do we all understand the plan?" Flash asked his fellow Templars. They nodded. "Alright," said Flash. Swift cursed her luck. She'd missed their plan. "Should we worry about the Assassin?" asked Cherry Jubilee.

"No. The Assassins here are next to harmless. They rarely every act."

"I suppose you haven't heard, then."

"What?"

"I'm referring to the Assassin that brought down our brothers in Canterlot. She's here in Ponyville, and she's out for our blood." Flash looked surprised, but brushed it off. "We have a dozen armed guards here with us," he said. "That's fourteen trained Templars against one reckless Assassin." Cherry Jubilee gave him a frown. "I wouldn't get an ego like that if I were you," she said. "The Assassins are crafty. They'll do whatever it takes to destroy our peaceful new world." Swift chuckled inside.
Peace, she thought. Yeah right.

"There's nothing to worry about," said Flash. "Come on, the princess is expecting us." All of them walked out of Swift's view. She dashed up the rest of the stairs. After climbing and flying a bit longer, she made it to the window of the meeting room. She gazed in. The big room was two stories, and the window was on the second floor. Inside, she saw her, Princess Twilight Sparkle, sitting at the edge of a large table. Within moments, the Templars and their guards walked in. The guards formed a circle around the room. Flash stood positioned behind Twilight's chair. Cherry Jubilee had two glasses of something. She gave one to Twilight, who took it with a smile, then drank it. The Templar sat on the opposite end of the table. Swift waited and listened.

"It's great to see you again, Ms. Sparkle," said Jubilee. Twilight nodded. "You as well," she said. "How are things in Dodge Junction?"

"Oh absolutely fine. Everypony is having fun as always. They're all working hard to make our little town a happy one." Twilight smiled. "That's wonderful, Ms. Jubilee," she said. "So, what is it you wanted to discuss?" Swift saw that the circle that the guards had formed was closing in. "Well, a few of my associates and I have discovered something distasteful," said Jubilee. "Something that might threaten peace in Equestria." The guards came ever so closer. Swift tensed.

"Oh no, what is it?" asked Twilight. "Is it something that my friends and I need to handle?"

"Oh, no. We're capable of handling the problem ourselves." By now, the guards had moved enough for Twilight to notice. "Then... Why did you come to talk to me?" she asked, not hiding the suspicion in her voice. The guards came closer. They began to reach behind themselves. They bit down on their dagger handles. Flash pulled out a sword. "Well, you see Ms. Sparkle," said Jubilee, a bit of menace in her voice. "The problem in question is you."

Twilight shot out of her chair. Her horn began to glow. A ball of magic formed at the end, and then it sputtered out, fading away. Twilight gasped. She looked at the advancing guards. "Wh... What?" she stuttered. "My magic..."

"The drink took care of that. Couldn't have you stopping our plans. Don't worry it'll wear off after ten minutes. Too bad you'll be a corpse by then." Twilight frantically looked at her attackers, trying desperately to activate a spell. Swift decided she had waited long enough. In one powerful jump, she busted through the window, flicked out her hidden blades, and slammed them into the two closest guards. Now Jubilee shot out of her chair. "Assassin! Don't let her ruin our plans!" she yelled. Swift cut down two more guards as she galloped toward Twilight.

"Ms. Sparkle, you might want to get behind me!" she said. Twilight didn't argue. Swift hovered with her blades extended. Another guard came at her. She dodged his knife and slashed his throat. Two more ran at her and met the same fate. "It's one Assassin! Kill her!" Flash yelled to his guards. Three guards stood at a distance and took out their bows. Swift spotted them just as she finished off another guard. Fast as lightning, she grabbed an advancing guard and pushed him in the path of the soaring arrows. The guard fell with the bolts stuck in his back.

Swift reached into her bag and grabbed to throwing knives that Pen Quill had given her. She tossed them and took out two of the archers. She sprinted at the last one, and ended his life. She heard the swish of a sword and rolled to the left just as Flash's blade came down. She stood to face him. The stallion slashed at Swift, and she blocked the blows with her hidden blades. With a yell, Flash swung his sword as hard as he could. Swift ducked beneath it, and Flash lost his balance. Seizing the opportunity, Swift quickly rammed her blade into the Templar's jaw. He gurgled on blood as he fell.

Soon, time froze again, and the white void filled Swift's vision. She glanced at her fallen enemy. "How's that for one mare?" she said, though not very jokingly. Flash coughed blood. "Don't think you've won, Assassin," he struggled to say. "The Templars are more powerful than you could imagine. We'll crush your order. And now with the Apple of Eden in our possession..." Swift saw an opportunity to get information. She learned closer. "What is the Apple? What does it do?"

Flash stared into nothingness. "It's power will guarantee our victory," he said. "With everypony under our control, nopony can stop us." Moments later, he died. Swift closed his eyes. "Arrogance is the destructive form of confidence," she said. "Rest in peace."

Reality once again returned to Swift's senses. She heard Twilight cry, "Get back here! Don't think you're getting away with this!" Swift quickly turned to see Cherry Jubilee darting out the door and through the hallways. "She's not a fighter," Swift said to Twilight. "Let her go for now. She won't do anything." She trotted over to the princess. "Are you okay?" she asked. Twilight nodded, though Swift could see that she was a bit shaken up. "Can I know my hero's name?" she asked, trying to lighten her own mood. "I'm Swift Wing."

"Twilight Sparkle, though I'm assuming you already knew that." Swift nodded. Twilight sighed. "Why would they do that?" she asked. "Why would they try to kill me?" Swift gave a sympathetic look. "They're part of an order of nut jobs," she said. "Anything they see as a threat, they'll try to eliminate it." Twilight gave a sad nod. "And what about you? Why did you save me?"

"You're a good mare, and my friends don't really appreciate the murdering of good ponies."

"But you're not opposed to killing in general it seems." There was a pause. "Sometimes, these things need to be done," said Swift. The two were silent. "Well," said Twilight, breaking the silence. "Since that's all over, I suppose I should offer you something in return. I've got a few great recipes down in the kitchen. Perhaps we can talk over a meal?" Swift nodded. "That seems like a good idea," she said.

"Great! I'll get somepony to clean up this... mess, and then we'll head on down." Swift nodded, and the two mares exited the meeting room.

Description
The train's whistle shrieked as the vehicle rode out of the station. Swift Wing watched as the ponies scrambled around her, trying to deal with their luggage. All Swift had was her saddlebags. She made her way through the crowd and left the station. After following a road for a short distance, she saw her destination. The quiet little town of Ponyville. Nothing about the place really stood out, except for one thing. Near the middle of town, a giant, crystal tree castle rose above the small houses and buildings. It stuck out like a sore thumb. The castle was the residence of Princess Twilight Sparkle, the mare that Swift needed to save.

But before she did anything, Swift looked for help. She pulled out the pass code that Feather Duster had given her. She said it a few times in her head to memorize it. After placing it back in her bag, Swift headed for the center of town.

As she walked through Ponyville's streets, she noticed how nice things appeared to be. The citizens looked happy, and it wasn't the fake kind of happiness she had seen in Canterlot. Swift hoped that with the three Templars she killed out of the way, life in Canterlot would begin to improve. As she glanced around at the town, Swift failed to notice a mare that soon bumped into her. "Oh, sorry. My bad," said Swift as she straightened her scarf. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the mare in front of her.

Her coat and mane were a bright pink. Her mane looked like cotton candy and three balloons formed her cutie mark. Her blue eyes stared silently at Swift. The mare stood as still as a statue for an uncomfortable amount of time, her eyes bulging in Swift's direction. "Um," said Swift, unsure of how to react. "Are you okay?" Suddenly, the pink mare's entire body began to wobble. Swift took a slight step back. The mare’s vibration intensified until, in the blink of an eye, she darted away. Swift could barely comprehend the speed of her disappearance. She stood where she was for a moment. "So," she said to herself. "That happened."

Soon though, she returned to the task of finding the music store. After a few minutes of searching, she found a store in the middle of town, and she walked in. A white unicorn with a messy blue mane was listening to some music at the counter. Swift approached her. "Excuse me," she said. The unicorn took off her headphones. "Hey! 'Sup?" she said.

"Are you Vinyl Scratch?"

"Yep! What can I do for ya?" Swift quickly recalled the pass code she had been memorizing. "We work in the dark to serve the light," she said. Vinyl grinned. "Oh! I see. You a new recruit? I don't think I've seen you before."

"In a sense. I'm friends with your buddies in Canterlot. I'm not one of you guys, but they trust me enough to send me here on their behalf." Swift could see a slight look of suspicion on Vinyl’s face. "Feather Duster told me to meet with her younger brother, Pen Quill. We've uncovered a Templar plan to kill Twilight Sparkle." The mention of the two Assassins' names seemed to be enough to convince Vinyl. "Alright," she said. "Follow me."

The two went to a back room. On a wall was a similar lock to the one in the Eagle's Quill Library. Vinyl glanced at Swift's blades, then at the lock. Swift understood and jammed her hidden blade into the keyhole. She fumbled around a bit, and the lock mechanism opened up. A large hidden door slid open. "After you," said Vinyl. The two entered the hallway beyond, and the door closed behind them.

Soon, the two found themselves in the Ponyville Assassins' hideout. It was similar to the one in Canterlot, except it was smaller and less decorated. Swift and Vinyl entered another room. A relatively old, yellow-coated pegasus with a green mane was arranging some books on his shelf. Vinyl knocked on the doorframe. "Hey, Pen Quill, you've got a visitor," said Vinyl to the stallion. "Your sister sent her over from Canterlot. The stallion looked over at the mares, and smiled. Swift could see the family resemblance between him and Feather Duster.

"Thank you, Vinyl," he said. "You might want to head back upstairs before the customers get anxious." Vinyl nodded and gave a short salute. Then she took her leave. Pen Quill trotted over to Swift and shook her hoof. "So," he said. "What has Feather Duster sent you all the way to Ponyville for, my brother-in-arms?" Swift gave a look. "Well, technically I'm not one of your 'brothers-in-arms'," she said.

"Oh?"

"I'm not an Assassin, but don't worry, I'm on your side and I'm here to help." Pen Quill nodded. "Well, if Feather Duster trusts you, then so do I," he said. "So, what have you come to help with?"

"Back in Canterlot, we discovered a Templar plot to murder Princess Twilight." Pen Quill looked surprised. "That's not good news at all," he said. "Without Twilight, the Assassins here will lose their influence."

"In she an Assassin?"

"Oh, no. She has almost no knowledge of us and our conflict with the Templars. Nonetheless, her methods and goals align with ours, so you can imagine why we'd want to keep her alive." Swift nodded. She couldn't help but ponder something in her head.

If Twilight doesn't know anything about the Assassins and Templars, what did Celestia mean by making her "one of them"?

Nonetheless, she shook away the questions. Right now, she had to focus on keeping the Princess of friendship safe. "I'll send a few spies to gather information," said Pen Quill. "You might want to go around town and see what you can uncover." Swift nodded. "Before you go, though," continued Pen Quill. "I wouldn't suggest getting a new outfit. The one you have now works well in Canterlot, but it pretty much makes you a bullseye in a small town like this. There's a boutique not far from here that you might want to visit."

Swift nodded again. "Alright," she said. "I'll head on over there." The two nodded, said their goodbyes, and then Swift left the hideout.

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

As Swift walked through Ponyville's streets, trying not to draw attention to herself, she noticed that there were more guards patrolling then when she had arrived. Swift grew suspicious, and quickened her pace. Pretty soon, she arrived at the boutique that Pen Quill had told her to visit. A bell chimed above her head as she walked through the door. Swift looked around and the various articles of clothing. Pieces of fabric were thrown about the room. It was a mess, but something about it told her that there was a method to the madness.

"Coming!" said a mare's voice from a nearby hallway. Soon, a white unicorn with a well-groomed violet mane trotted into the room. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique," she said. "What can I do for y-" The mare froze when she laid her blue eyes on Swift. "Darling!" said the mare. "Your outfit is absolutely gorgeous!"

Swift gave a polite smile. "Thanks. I guess it is," she said.

"You guess? There's no doubt! The golden lining, the way your robes flow, that beautiful red of tour sash! To be honest I think the hood is a bit tacky, but that's beside the point. Are you from Canterlot by any chance?"

"I just arrived from there."

"Oh brilliant!" She paused. "It seems like you left at just the right time, too." Swift raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't heard? There was a series of murders that occurred in the city. Three celebrities were killed." Swift felt an odd feeling in her gut. She pretended to be surprised. "I haven't heard about that. That's awful!" she said, trying to mask her thoughts. The unicorn nodded. "Yes, it is," she said. She paused. "But let's not get down right now. Where are my manners? I'm Rarity." She stuck her hoof out and Swift shook it. "Swift Wing," she said.

"What can I help you with, Swift Wing?"

"I'm looking for an outfit that isn't as flashy as this one. I want to be able to blend in with everyone else in a small town like this." Rarity nodded. "That seems like something that I could do," she said. "Come with me." Rarity led Swift into another room and had her stand in front of a few mirrors. Swift removed her Assassin robes. Rarity took a few measurements and used her magic to fiddle with some fabrics. Swift took a glance out a nearby window. She noticed that the guards had made their way towards Twilight's castle.

"So, what’s with all the guards outside?" said Swift, trying to make small talk as well as get information. Rarity kept her eyes on her work. "Oh, Twilight's meeting with some ambassador from Dodge Junction. She isn't worried, but the I suppose the ambassador just likes to be sure of their safety."

"Who's the ambassador? Ow!" A needle pricked her leg. "Oh, sorry dear," said Rarity. "The ambassador's name is Cherry Jubilee." Swift's heart sank. "I've met her before," continued Rarity. "She was kind, even if she was a bit off."

"When is Twilight meeting with her?"

"If I remember correctly, I believe the meeting's in about twenty minutes." Swift knew she would have to act fast. After a few more minutes, Rarity finally stepped away from Swift, and looked over her work. With a satisfied smile, she said, "Alright, darling. What do you think?" Swift turned to look at her reflection in the mirrors. Her new outfit was a simple white dress. The rim of the skirt was lined in red. An eagle pattern was embroidered on the side. Swift flipped the outfit's hood to see what it looked like. She smiled and flipped her hood back down.

"It's perfect," she said. "Thank you so much. How much do I owe you?" Rarity put her hoof to her chin as she calculated the numbers. "Twenty bits," she said. Swift trotted over to her saddlebags and pulled out the coins. She passed them to Rarity, who put them on a desk. "It was a pleasure to have met you, Swift," she said. Swift nodded. "Same to you," she said. Swift stuffed her old outfit in her saddlebags. The two mares said their goodbyes, and then Swift was off. She knew she didn't have much longer before the Templars got to Twilight.

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

Swift stood by a building near Twilight's castle. Pen Quill stood next to her. "It's too well guarded to just walk in the fridge door," he said. "You'll have to climb around.

"My wing's fully healed. I can fly."

"Yes, but they'll notice you if you just fly into a window. If you stay close to the walls, you're less likely to get shot in the head with an arrow." Swift nodded. She turned her attention from the Assassin when she noticed something. At the castle's door, Cherry Jubilee and Flash Sentry were granted an entrance. The sunlight glinted off of the Templar crosses that hung around their necks. "The meeting hall is near the top floor, through that window," said Pen Quill, who pointed at the window in question. "You'd better hurry. Time's running out." Swift nodded. She pulled on her hood, and began to make her way behind the castle.

She used her wings to hop to the first ledge. She used a set of nearby stairs to continue upward. She jumped from ledge to ledge, graceful and silent as a cat. Halfway up the castle, she found another staircase. Suddenly, she froze. She heard voices from the window next to her. She carefully looked through to see Cherry Jubilee and Flash Sentry conversing with a few guards. Swift tuned her ears to listen.

"Do we all understand the plan?" Flash asked his fellow Templars. They nodded. "Alright," said Flash. Swift cursed her luck. She'd missed their plan. "Should we worry about the Assassin?" asked Cherry Jubilee.

"No. The Assassins here are next to harmless. They rarely every act."

"I suppose you haven't heard, then."

"What?"

"I'm referring to the Assassin that brought down our brothers in Canterlot. She's here in Ponyville, and she's out for our blood." Flash looked surprised, but brushed it off. "We have a dozen armed guards here with us," he said. "That's fourteen trained Templars against one reckless Assassin." Cherry Jubilee gave him a frown. "I wouldn't get an ego like that if I were you," she said. "The Assassins are crafty. They'll do whatever it takes to destroy our peaceful new world." Swift chuckled inside.
Peace, she thought. Yeah right.

"There's nothing to worry about," said Flash. "Come on, the princess is expecting us." All of them walked out of Swift's view. She dashed up the rest of the stairs. After climbing and flying a bit longer, she made it to the window of the meeting room. She gazed in. The big room was two stories, and the window was on the second floor. Inside, she saw her, Princess Twilight Sparkle, sitting at the edge of a large table. Within moments, the Templars and their guards walked in. The guards formed a circle around the room. Flash stood positioned behind Twilight's chair. Cherry Jubilee had two glasses of something. She gave one to Twilight, who took it with a smile, then drank it. The Templar sat on the opposite end of the table. Swift waited and listened.

"It's great to see you again, Ms. Sparkle," said Jubilee. Twilight nodded. "You as well," she said. "How are things in Dodge Junction?"

"Oh absolutely fine. Everypony is having fun as always. They're all working hard to make our little town a happy one." Twilight smiled. "That's wonderful, Ms. Jubilee," she said. "So, what is it you wanted to discuss?" Swift saw that the circle that the guards had formed was closing in. "Well, a few of my associates and I have discovered something distasteful," said Jubilee. "Something that might threaten peace in Equestria." The guards came ever so closer. Swift tensed.

"Oh no, what is it?" asked Twilight. "Is it something that my friends and I need to handle?"

"Oh, no. We're capable of handling the problem ourselves." By now, the guards had moved enough for Twilight to notice. "Then... Why did you come to talk to me?" she asked, not hiding the suspicion in her voice. The guards came closer. They began to reach behind themselves. They bit down on their dagger handles. Flash pulled out a sword. "Well, you see Ms. Sparkle," said Jubilee, a bit of menace in her voice. "The problem in question is you."

Twilight shot out of her chair. Her horn began to glow. A ball of magic formed at the end, and then it sputtered out, fading away. Twilight gasped. She looked at the advancing guards. "Wh... What?" she stuttered. "My magic..."

"The drink took care of that. Couldn't have you stopping our plans. Don't worry it'll wear off after ten minutes. Too bad you'll be a corpse by then." Twilight frantically looked at her attackers, trying desperately to activate a spell. Swift decided she had waited long enough. In one powerful jump, she busted through the window, flicked out her hidden blades, and slammed them into the two closest guards. Now Jubilee shot out of her chair. "Assassin! Don't let her ruin our plans!" she yelled. Swift cut down two more guards as she galloped toward Twilight.

"Ms. Sparkle, you might want to get behind me!" she said. Twilight didn't argue. Swift hovered with her blades extended. Another guard came at her. She dodged his knife and slashed his throat. Two more ran at her and met the same fate. "It's one Assassin! Kill her!" Flash yelled to his guards. Three guards stood at a distance and took out their bows. Swift spotted them just as she finished off another guard. Fast as lightning, she grabbed an advancing guard and pushed him in the path of the soaring arrows. The guard fell with the bolts stuck in his back.

Swift reached into her bag and grabbed to throwing knives that Pen Quill had given her. She tossed them and took out two of the archers. She sprinted at the last one, and ended his life. She heard the swish of a sword and rolled to the left just as Flash's blade came down. She stood to face him. The stallion slashed at Swift, and she blocked the blows with her hidden blades. With a yell, Flash swung his sword as hard as he could. Swift ducked beneath it, and Flash lost his balance. Seizing the opportunity, Swift quickly rammed her blade into the Templar's jaw. He gurgled on blood as he fell.

Soon, time froze again, and the white void filled Swift's vision. She glanced at her fallen enemy. "How's that for one mare?" she said, though not very jokingly. Flash coughed blood. "Don't think you've won, Assassin," he struggled to say. "The Templars are more powerful than you could imagine. We'll crush your order. And now with the Apple of Eden in our possession..." Swift saw an opportunity to get information. She learned closer. "What is the Apple? What does it do?"

Flash stared into nothingness. "It's power will guarantee our victory," he said. "With everypony under our control, nopony can stop us." Moments later, he died. Swift closed his eyes. "Arrogance is the destructive form of confidence," she said. "Rest in peace."

Reality once again returned to Swift's senses. She heard Twilight cry, "Get back here! Don't think you're getting away with this!" Swift quickly turned to see Cherry Jubilee darting out the door and through the hallways. "She's not a fighter," Swift said to Twilight. "Let her go for now. She won't do anything." She trotted over to the princess. "Are you okay?" she asked. Twilight nodded, though Swift could see that she was a bit shaken up. "Can I know my hero's name?" she asked, trying to lighten her own mood. "I'm Swift Wing."

"Twilight Sparkle, though I'm assuming you already knew that." Swift nodded. Twilight sighed. "Why would they do that?" she asked. "Why would they try to kill me?" Swift gave a sympathetic look. "They're part of an order of nut jobs," she said. "Anything they see as a threat, they'll try to eliminate it." Twilight gave a sad nod. "And what about you? Why did you save me?"

"You're a good mare, and my friends don't really appreciate the murdering of good ponies."

"But you're not opposed to killing in general it seems." There was a pause. "Sometimes, these things need to be done," said Swift. The two were silent. "Well," said Twilight, breaking the silence. "Since that's all over, I suppose I should offer you something in return. I've got a few great recipes down in the kitchen. Perhaps we can talk over a meal?" Swift nodded. "That seems like a good idea," she said.

"Great! I'll get somepony to clean up this... mess, and then we'll head on down." Swift nodded, and the two mares exited the meeting room.