As they raced off into the forest, Key Scales tried to keep up with her friend who was flying through the trees. Truly she did. Her hooves floundered and became caught on the low growth of Everfree. She was stumbling in the shadows over her own four hooves. The darkness gathering around her made her feel as though she would be swallowed. Arrowhead stopped to help her up again.

"Scales, think. There ought to be something you can do to stop your fumbling. I thought moonlight would be enough to guide us, but I guess not. Can you think of a way to light up the darkness?" At this she blacked out, her mind lost in the swirls of a memory.

In the room was a young filly, not of school age yet. She hadn't even gotten her cutie mark. The room was filled with yellow sunlight being extinguished as some unseen force closed the window shades. She was in her old living room before the fire. There was the couch she used to sit on. She'd pretend it was a boat. The hallway to her room. There were even some of her old toys in the corner in the wood box she'd keep them in.

There was a presence in the room. She could not see it, but it was as though a warm, pleasant feeling was in front of her. Like the scent of a town after rain, cleansed thoroughly. The feeling had a strength to it and was comforting. "Mommy, what are we going to do today?" She saw a younger version of herself ask to the thin air.

The shroud in the room replied with a strong, clean voice, "Today, my dearest, I am going to teach you another spell." The younger Key Scales sat on her haunches frowning as tears came to her eyes, lit by the frail light leaking from the edge of the curtains.

"Mom... I'm no good at magic... It's no fun! Can't we play a game?" The shroud shook slightly as the light at the window edge barely flickered. "Please my darling... This is an easy one, I promise you. When we are done we can play all the games you'd like. Doesn't that sound fun, my little Key?" The gray filly sniffled and wiped a hoof past her muzzle as she spoke, "Okay, if it's an easy one I'll try my best, Mom." A strand of mane in front of her eyes was wiped away by the shroud.

"Now. Close your pretty eyes and think of all the happy memories you've got. Think of Leaf Runner and you playing out in the yard. Think of Daddy and I singing you to sleep. Of the days when we could go out and play in the sun. Think of all those memories as little tiny stars. Glittering stars just locked away in your precious little head. Pretend you are collecting all these stars in your horn. Now, shoot them out!"

A white beam of light shot from Key Scales' horn as she woke in the forest, staring at worried blue eyes. "Key Scales, are you alright? You passed out after I talked you. Kept saying something about spells. Maybe I should take you back to-" Key Scales stood up and shook her head. "No. I mean, no thanks Arrow. I have to get to Leaf Runner. I did have a strange dream though... I remembered something... Give me a minute." She turned away and sat down on her haunches, breathing lightly in the sparse moonlight. She collected her thoughts, appearing to focus on something intense. Sparks of her pale magic occasionally sputtered from her horn.

After a few moments of focusing, a white light shot from her horn and she stood up.

"Let's go Arrow. We have to get Leaf Runner as soon as we can." They raced off through the forest once more, Arrowhead racing beside his friend to steady her.

A while later, they came to a hill at the edge of the Everfree Forest and Ponyville. High on top they could see a large tree. In the tree was what had looked like a quaint little house 24 hours earlier, built by Key Scales and Leaf Runner for the latter mare to live in, and eventually the former as well. The door was now off of it's hinges, and the windows were broken. Key Scales was about to race to the tree when she saw it. A white colored pony stood near a slumped body at the bottom of the hill.

She raced to it, almost falling from lack of breath but pushing herself to keep running. Arrowhead ran with her to the figures at the hill. The white figure was Rushing Dusk, his hood pulled from his face as he looked at the unconscious mare at his hooves. Arrowhead spoke as he approached them.

"Wow, Rushing Dusk, we really need to stop finding knocked out mares after dark. It's starting to get suspicious."

They busted out laughing for a few seconds before Key Scales knocked their heads together. "Excuse me sirs. While that was amusing I'd like to point out something. SHE'S STILL UNCONSCIOUS YOU MORONS! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!?"

Key Scales looked down at her friend and roommate (though judging by the sight of their ruined house in the background they wouldn't be living together for a while) and sat down on her haunches. Her friend's tan coat was a soft contrast from the grass on the hill. Her dark green mane was almost as rich as the leaves in the forest of Everfree. She had lovely warm brown eyes, filled with kindness. She was a bit confused at times, and often needed help with simple tasks, but Leaf Runner was one of the sweetest, most innocent ponies she had ever met. She'd taken her in back when nopony else would, and helped her get back to her studies of music. Key Scales felt a strong desire to protect her, and now something terrible had happened.

Leaf Runner's mane was swept over her face. Her back leg stuck out at an awkward angle. She had a cut along her flank and blood had run down her side, now drying as she breathed heavy, her flank rising and falling. Key Scales scooted closer to her friend and gently pushed her mane back from her face. Underneath Leaf Runner's eye was a large black and purple bruise covering one side of her pretty face.

Key Scales felt a familiar anger rising in her and she stood up, spinning around to face Rushing Dusk and Arrowhead. Her voice dropped lower than normal and as she spoke, rage made her voice quiver. "Who... who did this. This terrible... terrible thing...They shall eternally rot in the deepest, hottest flames of Tartarus. I shall personally send them to that foul place, that they may forever suffer. Not even Celestia herself can have a say in the matter. Who did this?" Arrowhead stepped back when she started speaking. Rushing Dusk refused to say anything, scoffing at the gray mare. "Maybe you did not hear me previously. Let me repeat myself before I empty your body and spread your entrails around this grassy hill, that it may become your tomb... WHO DID THIS!?!?!" She roared at them, her anger peaking and destroying her composure. Rushing Dusk flinched.

"I shall explain. Late last night, after we recovered you and brought you back to Headquarters, Arrow sent me out to keep watch on your little tree house here. When I got here your roommate was muttering something about dinner. I introduced myself and said you had gone off to spend the night with a friend. So I wasn't lying to her, you can be sure of that. I told her I'd been sent to keep an eye on her. After she'd gone to sleep I heard a knocking at the door. When I answered it I saw a few ponies, then blacked out. I awoke to a creaking sound, carried this mare outside, and watched your house crumble. I'm very sorry."

Key Scales was completely unfazed. "You know, the whole time you were speaking I was listening. I noticed something, Rushing Dusk." They stood face-to-face now, and she lifted a hoof up almost to the level of their eyes. "You never said... WHO DID THIS!?!?!" He stood his ground, though his eyes betrayed him. He was scared stiff of the mare, who was now in his face and fuming.

He looked at Arrowhead and tilted his head, as if to ask permission. Arrowhead shook his head from side to side before speaking. "Key Scales, who would want to kill you?" She looked to her friend as her anger receded. "I... I don't know..." He lifted a hoof to his eyes and rubbed them. "Key Scales, you killed a traitorous assassin. Who would want to kill you?" He started to raise a hoof to her mane but decided against it. She looked down and shook her head. "I don't k- The Traitors! I get it now! Whoever that pony was working for. Who was he working for?"

Arrowhead looked up to the sky and his expression took on a different one, a distant one. "Our enemies, the Templars. They must have traced your house down to find you. We, the Assassins, are locked in an everlasting battle with them. They believe in a world of peace by domination, and we are sworn to stop them. Though we must bloody our hooves, this never stops us. We will continue in our battle until we win, or we all fall like pieces of some game." He turned around to face her. "Well, at least, I help. I prefer my life of solitude and paid violence. Helping to rid the world of stupidity and insanity." Key Scales laughed at this. Arrowhead glared at her, "Oh, and what is so funny, Recruit?"

"Well... You're insane, Arrow. I've known you for years, and you're crazier than Pinkie Pie during cider season."

They laughed under the moonlight before remembering the task at hoof. "Key Scales, go into your house if you can. You're lighter than us, so you'll have an easier time of it. If you can find any of your belongings in the rubble, pack them in this." Arrowhead finished speaking as he removed the black saddle bag and threw it to Key Scales, who caught it with her magic. "Be careful, Scales. I don't want to have to carry two mares back tonight." She nodded and proceeded up the hill.

As she walked her mind wandered. She didn't want to think of Leaf Runner. She didn't want to think of her past or her strange dream in the forest. Not her future either, or the evil she had done. She finally decided to think of Arrowhead.

Her hooves trudged through the grass and her mind trailed into thoughts of her friend. She thought of the day they had met as she reached the bottom of the tree. She'd had a really tough day at the Orchestral Hall. That day there was a difficult test and she had stayed up the night before to study. As a result she fell asleep before finishing the test. She left after class and decided to stop in at a cafe in Canterlot to eat something. The other ponies had spared no expense in laughing at her and making her feel terrible. She'd grabbed her clarinet with her magic and carried it with her to a nearby cafe.

The cafe was small but cozy and quite pretty. She chose a seat in the corner, sat her clarinet down and went up to order. "Hello madame, and welcome to the Canterlot Cafe. What would you like on this fabulous morning?" Key Scales had been so very tempted to hit the cheerful shop-keep, but merely restrained herself and said without a smile, "One lemon muffin and alfalfa tea please." She reached behind her for her saddle-bags. Which were gone, left behind in the music hall down the street. She looked up at the grinning pony and hesitated. She smiled, "Forget about my order for now. I must have left my bits."

Key Scales started to climb the steps attached to the tree. They were well worn and strong. She lived in this tree house for years with Leaf Runner. It was upsetting to see it broken and torn, so her mind wandered back to the day she'd met Arrowhead.

She had continued down the street. What a great way to top off a failed test and bad day. She entered the music hall. In the classroom she found her black saddle bags Leaf Runner had purchased for her, marked with a worn silver clasp. They often blended in with the decor of the room, so Key Scales had forgotten them. She slipped them onto her back. The felt lighter than normal as she put her music folder into one side, and heard it rattle against her bit-purse. She thought, "Strange, normally my bit purse is next to my clarinet... buck." She had left the damned thing in the restaurant. She had unfortunate luck with that. Racing out of the music hall and back towards the cafe, she'd almost run into a pegasus stepping out of the cafe.

He was tall and well-built, with a deep red coat. His fluffy brown mane stuck out underneath a worn brown hat and stopped just above his eyes. They were a deep blue and reminded her of rainstorms. He was wearing a brown vest at the time, with many pockets. He had been carrying a black clarinet case in his hooves. Her clarinet case. She thought he'd stolen it, and had tackled him. Pinning him to the sidewalk outside of the cafe, she demanded her property back in a most forceful manner.

"GIVE MY INSTRUMENT BACK RIGHT NOW, YOU THIEF!!!" Vulgarity and violence soon ensued on the street. The shopkeeper of the cafe was not pleased, but she wasn't about to step into a fight. Plus it attracted ponies and no publicity is bad publicity, as they say.

"THIEF?!? HOW DARE YOU, YOU CRAZED MARE!!" He threw her off him, using perhaps more force than necessary and enraging her. She tried to tackle him but he sidestepped. She stood up quickly. "YOU STOLE MY CLARINET! I DEMAND YOU GIVE IT BACK TO ME!!!" By this time, she was as red in the face from anger as he was by the shade of his fur. "I DIDN'T STEAL ANYTHING YOU BUCKING WHORE!!" He retorted, ducking from a blow she'd aimed at him. She tried to calm down a bit as she moved away from his counter-attack. "YOU..You didn't? Of course you did, it was right there in your hooves!" He shook his head, calming down.

"No, I was trying to find the owner. I'd seen it when I came into the cafe. I decided to be a good little citizen and try to find the owner. Look where THAT got me!" He turned to walk away.

"Wait! I... I didn't know..." She tried to speak. He turned back with the clarinet in his hooves, placing it in front of her. "I take it this is yours. I am sorry for the inconvenience." She started to make amends. "Do you have time for a snack? My treat, since I sorta... attacked you and all..."
A smile played at the edge of his lips. "You're damn right it's your treat. Come on." He held the door open for her.
"You first, Miss... Huh. That's funny I never got your name. How about you tell me so I'm not eating with some stranger who tried to kill me."
She looked up at him, her face flushed from embarrassment. "My name is Key Scales. Thank you for trying to return my clarinet."
He smiled at her. "You left it, Miss Scales. Be careful next time. Not all ponies are like me. If they were this world would be more violent. You can be sure of that." They had sat in a corner booth and Key Scales had gone to order. When they parted the sun was setting. Key Scales was no longer thinking of her terrible failed test, but of the new friend she had made.

She sorted through a pile of debris in what used to be her bedroom. She found her saddle bags with the silver clasp, putting them side by side with the black bag on the floor. She found a few belongings and put them in her bags. A photo was on the floor of her, Arrowhead, and Leaf Runner. They'd had a picnic a few years back, and had paid somepony to get a picture of them all together. It's crystal frame was still in pretty good condition, but a fine layer of dust and grime had collected over the glass. She placed it carefully in her saddle bags. Key Scales found a picture of her parents next.

The glass had been broken on the frame. The side of the photo showing her mother was burned like always, and the other half was worn. The edges of the picture were frayed. It showed her father, a tall gray stallion with a black spiky mane. His eyes were a clear, vibrant purple. Just like Key Scales. Excepting that Key Scales' eyes were genuinely caring and protective. His showed kindness, but a mask of it. A shell of emotion and nothing more. He was nothing more than falsehood, and that's all he'd ever been to her. She threw the photo on the ground, collecting a few worn folders and a black scarf for herself. As she turned to leave she saw the photo on the ground. She sat and stared at it.

Should she take it or leave it? It had been there all this time as reminder. Though, did she really want a reminder of him? Or was it better to forget him? She felt her eyes sting from hot tears forming and tried to stop herself. A tear rolled off her muzzle onto the picture as she heard a voice. "Key Scales? I got Rushing Dusk to try to patch up Leaf Runner, at least temporarily. You've been up here for a while... I thought maybe...are you alright?" Arrowhead spoke. How did he always know? She sighed. "I'm fine Arrow. I'll just be a few more moments. If it's okay with you, can you carry this bag?"

He stepped into the room and saw the tear stained photo. He knew she was lying but did not press her on it. "Sure. Rushing Dusk is going to carry Leaf Runner. Is there anything here she might need?" Key Scales nodded and left the room. He decided to see what she had packed.
A silver mane brush, her bag of bits, a music folder and folder of photos were in the bag. Inside of the folder were photos of the two of them from the various things they'd done on over the years. The picture of the time they tried to make muffins was his favorite. Leaf Runner had given them her recipe book so they could try to make the delicious muffins themselves. It had ended in a food war. The picture showed Key Scales and Arrowhead with food smeared on their faces. Key Scales was trying to lick frosting off her nose and he was laughing, coated in flour and cake batter.

He heard hoof steps and quickly put everything back in the bag, grabbing the ripped photo from the floor. "Key Scales shouldn't have to deal with thinking of the past at a time like this." He told himself as he placed it in his own bag. Key Scales returned, levitating a book of recipes, drawings and a black ribbon with her magic. "Leaf Runner would be so mad if I forgot these." She placed them in her own saddle bags. "Can we leave? I don't want to look at... this house anymore." He smiled. "Yes, we should get you and Leaf Runner back to Headquarters."

As they traveled back through the forest, Rushing Dusk carried Leaf Runner with his back and wings, Arrowhead flew above to keep watch, and Key Scales lit the way, not allowing her mind to wander from the path.

Author's Note

Another chapter. WOO! This one took a bit to write, but it was a larger chapter, as lots of stuff is revealed. Sort of. Either way, enjoy! I'm happy to finally be writing again and I hope you all are happy to read again. Next Chapter will be more emotional. Probably. I hope I clear this emotion-y, touchey-feely stuff up soon so I can get to the action! Thank You, as always. Stories would not be able to progress without readers, and if you're reading this, then you are a reader and I Thank You!

Yay for Leaf Runner, but so sad as to the circumstances we find her in. She belongs to Nuni, or the wondrous Sakamochu!

Arrowhead belongs to the equally wondrous AppleSniper.