Key Scales woke early that morning feeling different somehow. She rose out of bed, stretching and turning about, smiling with traces of her unusually peaceful dreams. She stood up, shook her long and untidy black mane about and started getting ready for class.

She felt something as she stepped out of her tree-house on the edges of Ponyville with her clarinet. A feeling that the day would be good as opposed to the norm. Stepping into Sugarcube Corner, (An activity she didn't normally do. Sweets were something she restrained from) she smiled. Maybe the day, so young and eager, would be better. She purchased a Lemon Muffin and trotted briskly to the train that would take her to class at the Orchestral Hall. Her hopes were high as she sat down on the train and watched the sunrise.

Perhaps today she wouldn't be overshadowed, she thought, daydreaming. She had a classmate named Octavia. Though they looked similar, their similarities ran only coat-deep. Key Scales was very quiet in class and hardly spoke to anyone, though she showed up every day and passed each test with flying colors. The teacher never noticed her, despiter her talent and promise. Octavia was the star and Key Scales was merely an extra.

She stepped into class that day with a feeling of hope in her heart and a flavor of lemon upon her muzzle. The teacher took attendance. Key Scales grabbed her music folder, her purple magic floating it back to her seat.

They studied musical theory. Key Scales knew the answers before the questions were asked but she never lifted a hoof to speak, still dreamily full of hope. The teacher instructed everyone to put their instruments together. Key Scales rose to grab her instrument... and her cheerful feelings left quickly as they had come, to be replaced by panic.

Her instrument... the beloved black case with an inscription from her late mother; it was her pride and joy in this world. Now it was gone from her side, a rare occurence. Left back in Ponyville along with any hope of her passing that day of class. She must've left it at Sugarcube Corner. Leaving, she thought, was surely better than being lectured and stared at by everypony.

Now, being a mare that was often overlooked, she waited until the chaos of the warm-up sounds reached a peak and slipped out the door quietly. No one noticed; No one cared. That was how it had always been in her life at the Orchestral Hall. Racing away, back to the train station and into the train to Ponyville, her mind raced as well. "What if it's stolen? I'll fail. I won't make it... anywhere in this world. I couldn't face anypony... No. I can't afford to lose. I will find it."

By this time she was back in Ponyville, her hooves clacking against the ground, but she was too late. Racing through Canterlot and Ponyville had taken too long. Sugarcube Corner was closed. Her instrument was probably gone. Her heart full of rage, she turned to leave. A glint caught at the corner of her eye. The silver clasp of her clarinet case in the twilight!

A note was attached to the handle reading, "You left this, Miss Scales. Be careful. - A Friend."

"Miss Scales..." she thought.
That nickname rang a bell, but she was so tired from all of the running about. The muffin she had eaten just that morning felt like forever ago. Relief swept over her at the realization that at least her prized possession was back. She headed home, dreading the lecture she'd endure tomorrow for skipping.

Heading through shortcuts and back alleys, keeping her head down so as not to attract unwanted attention, she felt her face growing hot again, her thoughts swirling. How stupid she could be sometimes! If she hadn't wanted that muffin, none of this would've happened. She wouldn't have been at Sugarcube Corner, she would never have forgotten her clarinet, she would not have had to skip class, and instead of being lost, she would be happily situated playing tunes!
Wait... being lost?" She stopped walking and looked up. A single alley light flickered and went out, leaving only moonlight to light her path. Of course. This just wasn't her day, was it?

She retraced her steps in her head, trying to get her bearings, but a clicking sound forced her thoughts to stray from their path. Hooves.

"Oh, looks like this little filly got lost. You aren't lost, are you? Certainly not in my territory. That would be a very bad idea." A taunting voice said, resounding around her in the small alley. She opened her case quickly but quietly, and used her magic to piece the dark instrument together. She kept one eye on the musical utensil and one eye sizing up the stallion in front of her.

He wasn't very big, but a white cloak flowing around him altered his appearence. It was deadly and intimidating. The final piece on her clarinet came together, moonlight and magic shining off the keys she was named for. A sharp pain raged through her body from her hind leg, crumpling her. His attack had started. Instinct she had never known before shot through her; she stood up reflexively.

He hit her ear. There was a ringing sound that wouldn't go away. She swung the clarinet around; it was another part of her. It resounded with a vibration, clanging against something hard. It had collided with the stallion. She whirled the instrument towards him. Warm liquid flooded the pavement around her, spraying her mouth. It was bitter and sticky; blood. She heard a loud thud, feeling the ground shake around her. She fell over, pain rushing into her leg. Everything went black.

She awoke in the alley, but she knew that she was not alone. Somepony was poking her in the muzzle. Slowly opening one eye a bit, she saw that there were two stallions standing above her. They were both wearing strange, extravagant outfits. Fine white outfits with a red stripe down the flank and hoods covering their eyes, similar to the pony who had attacked her. No one wore such extravagant garb in this little town unless attending a party. They didn't seem in the mood for a get-together though.

The one poking her muzzle had a light tan coat and a brown mane that stuck out of his hood in little tufts, and a scar on his muzzle. He'd been in combat before. The other stallion was standing off to the shadows and she couldn't see him very well, but he stood tall, with an air of experience. A voice came from within his hood.

"Stand back and let me see her."

He stood closer and she squeezed her eyes tight; regulating her breath so she would appear unconscious. He started to wipe the blood off her face as he spoke.

"Recruit, you say she killed one of our own. Hard to believe...she looks very peaceful asleep." She heard, muffled slightly by the dull ringing in her ear.

"Indeed, she did. I found papers on him. He had been slacking off duties and.. there was this. He was corresponding with the enemy." The recruit said with a sigh. There was a rustling of paper.

"Hmm... Another? That is the third traitor this week. Damn. "

He stopped cleaning the blood off her face and looked away, disappointed. Key Scales took this opportunity to try and stand up, but the pain was too intense on her leg and she fell into the stallion who had been cleaning her. As he helped her stand, he spoke.
"Well, now that you're awake, I don't see the point in hiding." He pushed his hood off with one hoof, steadying Key Scales with the other. The recruit helped her as the other stallion stepped into the sparse moonlight. "It's me, Miss Scales." He said, winking. The tall stallion looked at her and she knew exactly who he was. One of the only ponies she could trust and really get along with. Her best friend, Arrowhead.

"Arrow? Why do I taste blood, and why are you dressed so oddly?" She limped to him and he held her. "Key Scales, I know this is strange for you. We work in an order of assassins, weeding out those who threaten the fate of Equestria and it's residents, but you are now a murderer. That won't really go... unnoticed. You killed a stallion. While you may think it was in self-defense, your head is now being coveted by our enemies. He was an ally of ours, or so we thought. He was working as a spy for our enemies and you've saved us a great deal of trouble. Would you consider joining our ranks?"

He pushed her mane, spiked with blood, away from her muzzle to calm her.

"Is there no way for me to continue my normal life?" Key Scales asked, already knowing her fate.

"No. I'm sorry. You can come back to headquarters and I will teach you everything I know. If you stay out here though, you will be found out. There aren't many things that can leave clarinet-shaped impressions in ponies. Key Scales, we've been friends for a long time, and I know you have what it takes. What do you say? We need your talents." Finally she was wanted for something, not just ignored at the back of a class.

"I will join you. I want to help you in anyway I can." She smiled faintly in the moonlight.

"Good. Let's get back to Headquarters." He turned to Key Scales, handing her a bag of salts. "Smell these and you will sleep. When you wake you will feel better, and we will be at Headquarters." She opened the bag and breathed in. The last thing she noticed was the moon and the stars in the night sky.

Author's Note

Thank you all for reading this. It's my first story and I know it's really short, I'm literally working on the second chapter now. There will be more Assassin-y Goodness (well, violence, but hey, if you can morally call it goodness like I can, then hooray for us!) in the next chapter. YAY!
I don't own anything from Assassin's Creed or My Little Pony. All rights go to their rightful owners. I hope you all like this story. If you have constructive criticism, not just, "Boo, you are a bad person! I don't like your story! etc." I will take what you say into account. MLP FOR THE WIN!