Making choices

Probably scared of the mace, Metal Chord had left the company of Hase and Dagger,leaving the two pegasi alone behind the group. None of them spoke a single word for whole 10 minutes. Finally, deciding somepony had to break the silence, the inventor began a conversation:

" Why didn't you kill me? "

" What do you mean? " the mare replied, apparently confused. However, she didn't insert any feeling in the words she said, so Hase couldn't know for sure.

" Well... from what I know you are an assassin? " the black stallion spoke, a tad unsure.

" Yes. " the other pegasus replied.

" I wanted you to kill me. You could do that. That's what assassins do. So why didn't you do it? Why did you just stand there and smile? " the scientist asked her.

" You were simply going through your first kill shock. " the purple- coated mare smiled and tried to imitate a cheered state, but only a pony, who had never seen a cheered pony, could mistake her for such.

This faked feeling made Hase feel awkward. A few seconds later, he decided to speak out his thoughts:

" You don't feel any real feelings, do you? "

" No. " the mare replied, probably relieved, her tone, however, didn't give anything out.

" Feelings aren't exactly the qualities you would expect from a hired assassin. After that many kills, they simply... fade away. I can't even remember what they felt like. I can only guess. "

" Is that why you stay away from the main part of our group? " the scientist wondered.

" Yes. Ponies feel weird when talking to somepony, who doesn't feel emotions. Also, nopony likes murderers. "

A shivver ran down Hase's spine. He felt himself bristle.

" Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, if I were you. " Dagger had noticed that.

" Your friends seem way beyond any idea of friendship we have here in Runcinia. I'm sure they'll forgive you. With time. "

It seemed that Dagger didn't know the meaning of the word " a white lie ".  Her voice, not giving out any signs of even a single feeling, was like the voice of truth for Hase. He wanted to believe, that his friends would forgive him. But even if they did, it would be better to stay away from them for the next few days.

" I hope so. " he replied.

" They should. After all, you didn't kill all those ponies for no reason. You killed them for a reason even I can relate to. "

" And what is that reason? "

" Protecting the ponies you love. Or in my case, avenging them. "

Expecting that was as much of the assassin's story he'd hear, Hase was awaiting the beginning of long hours of silent walking. But Dagger had something quite different in mind.

" I haven't really told anypony the story of how and why I became an assassin, because I feared nopony would understand me. Ponies around here can get over the deaths of anypony close to them, even if it's their closest one, but condemn somepony causing the death of the pony, guilty for the death of this pony so close to them. I never really understood why.

But you and I are the same. Both of us are ready to kill, so that we can save what our hearts prize the most. The only difference is, that you could interfere on time. And you did. "

" So you think I had right to kill all those ponies? " Hase was almost scared.

" Not a right. A duty. " the reply of the grey- maned pegasus, said with her cold voice, startled the pegasus furtherly.

" What were those ponies to you? Nothing. Killing them because of something stupid like duty to the society or justice  would have ment, that you killed them for no reason. But you didn't kill them for that. They threatened your friends. They threatened the mare of your heart. You killed them. End of story. "

The inventor was a bit surprised, when he found out the mare knew Rarity was his marefriend, but he didn't have time to think it over, since the mare continued talking.

" If you think killing one of them to scare the rest would have been enough, you are in deep deception. In this world, it's everypony for themselves. The only way you could be absolutely sure your friends wouldn't be hurt is to do what you did. Don't think I'm flattering you, but I think you'll adapt to this world way faster than any of your friends. "

" Why so? "  Hase asked.

" Haven't you understood it yet? " the assassin raised an eyebrow and glared at the stallion.

" I don't know how it's like in your world, but I'll suppose it is like it was in the old days of the kings and queens. Everypony's happy, everypony is friendly, and even if somepony doesn't quite fit in, you try to make them your friend and do your best to introduce them to society? Am I close? "

" Yes. Have you lived during those days? " the scientist was interested.

" As a very small filly. I can't remember anything. I know about it only because of the books I've read.  Now I understand why you insist on going back. "

Hase smiled weakly. He remembered his laboratory in Ponyville, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, everything he liked about Equestria... until his thoughts eventually focused on his friends and how they took his actions on the lawn. An idea shot through his mind.

" Can assassins understand what somepony's thinking just from their face? " he asked, expecting a denial.

" We're not telepaths. " the blue- maned pegasus sighed as he heard what he was expecting.

" But we can read one's feelings from their muzzle and roughly guess what they are thinking. " the purple- coated mare replied, giving the stallion hope.

" Did you see anypony from the group, that wasn't as frustrated as the most, from... what I did back there? " he asked, his voice trembling.

" Yes. Those odd elemental stallions. And the black dragon. " the pegasus with the light grey mane replied.

' The Sentinels probably have memories of killing ponies back when they were lords. And Formidon was forced to kill those dragons. ' the reason for that wasn't to hard to be thought of.

' I hope, that with their help, I'll be able to get back to my friends more quickly. If I only make it, I'll throw this mace aside and forget it ever came to me. ' Hase took a glance at the mace. He concentrated and the weapon was dropped down. The stallion was able to walk for another few hundred feet, before it appeared right next to him, as if it had never dissappeared.

' I knew it wouldn't be that easy. ' the inventor frowned. Whoever had created this mace was apparently smart enough to build in the option to walk around without a scary morningstar with a horrific design. But probably didn't feel safe enough to leave their weapon further than a few hundred feet.

" Speaking of the dragon, " Dagger renewed the conversation.

" ,how did you become friends with him? "

" Oh, the way you described earlier. " Hase smiled, as he remembered how Formidon wanted to burn down Ponyville. Things were more simple back tha... yesterday.

" He didn't quite fit in, and I promised I'd never let him down and that I'll help him blend in. "

" Very smart of you to lie to him, so that he'd help you during your quest. " the assassin noted. She just couldn't think the Equestrian way.

" I didn't lie. " the scientist spoke, offended.

" I became his friend. You don't use your friends! It's mean. Have you never had any friends? "

" Not the kind you describe. " the other pegasus replied.

" Oh. " the blue- maned pegasus felt awkward.

" My whole life is dedicated to revenge. " Dagger told him and than began telling her whole story:

" The first years of my life were probably jolly. I can't really remember. Than Bladewaltz took the throne and our neighbourhood was stormed, since it hid members of the Rebellion. My dad wasn't one, but he hit one of the guards, while trying to protect my mother. I remember the next few minutes as if it was yesterday. The leader of the squad, Corporal Steelheart, killed my father on spot. I was crying, but the troops ignored me and took away my mother. I never saw her after that. "

Hase felt sorry for the mare. The reasons for her becoming an assassin were becoming clearer now.

" Luckily, my neighbour had survived. He took me in, treated me as his own foals, and I spent two more months of relative happiness. Until the Corporal showed up and killed everypony except me, since I had managed to escape. It turned out it was because of a false rumour, that they were hiding a wounded rebel in their cellar, that some of their enemies had made up. That's what happens to you if you're not careful and you don't get rid of your eneies before they get rid of you.

I stole to live, until a stallion assassin found me on the street. I don't know what he felt, or if he felt anything at all and didn't simply see a chance to create a great assassin, but after hearing my story, he decided to make me the youngest apprentice for an assassin there ever was.

I was quickly taught what other fillies and colts learn in school for years. The Assassin Academy doesn't have time for this kind of things. While foals were learning the alphabet and playing on the street, I was learning the properties of neuroparalitic poison and how to apply it. I was too small to join the classes, so the assassin, who'd taken me in and whose name I never learned, trained me himself. I barely had any time to play with other foals, and even when I did, only one filly was brave enough to play with me.

Eventually, when I became a bit older, my teacher told me, that there was one last thing I needed to do before joining the main classes. To kill the filly, that played with me. "

" Did you?!? " Hase was shocked.

" What now sounds strange to me, is that I hesitated for a few days. That filly ment something to me. Then I remembered how Steelheart murdered all of those innocent ponies. I promised I'll make him pay. But if I wanted to, I would have to kill innocent ponies myself.

The poison I used got her a painless death. "

" Why in Equestria did you do that ?! That filly was your only friend! " the black stallion was horrified.

" That didn't matter to me. All that mattered was revenge. And she was in my way.

After I held an exam in front of all of the Academy's teachers, they decided to put me in class seven, in the system of 10 classes, and commended my teacher on his job.

The other students were already on the edge of foalhood and adulthood, so they laughed, when they first saw me - a filly, that according to their words, should go back to primary school. When all of those, who insulted me, suffered an extremely painful night (I wasn't allowed to kill them because of school regulations), they all learned to keep their mouth shut. Of course, that stopped me from making any friends. I welcomed that fact. It would enable me to kill them easier in the future, if I was hired to.   While others distracted themselves with their social lives, I progressed. I became a fully- pledged master with the rights to teach at the age the others were in Class 7. Ponies began hiring me. I never failed. I was already legendary, when I heard, that Corporal, now General, Steelheart had died of a heart disease. My life had lost its purpose, so I took a break from my job for a few days. Until the obvious question came up: who ordered Steelheart?

That's the only reason I joined this pitty group. I'm not referring to your friends, of course. This group is doomed without me. Their leader, Forge, has dedicated his life to fake ideals, such as justice. He could be great, if he sees beyond those lies, but he chooses not to. His sister isn't any better. She believes there is something good in everypony. I dare her to find it in me. "

The last sentence was supposed to be ironical, but Dagger's cold tone made it sound more like a threat.

" This magical student is my age, but she still doesn't understand anything. All she understands from life is inside the walls of the Mouthguard Magical College. She'll most probably die. And don't get me started about the " heir of the throne " . The only good thing about him, is that just like me, he won't let anything stop him on the way to his goal - to kill his father. Yet this lover boy is so aroggant and dumb things are certain to go the other way around. "

Hase increased the distance between him and the mare. When he looked at her before, he thought he saw a mare, tired from the life. When he looked at her now, he saw a mare, that had chosen to leave life behind. It wasn't really her fault, but life had eventually turned her into a killing machine with one purpose- revenge. The black stallion galloped, trying to catch up with the end of the group. Some ponies would have become angry at such a rude act, but Dagger didn't mind. She didn't feel anger. And she was used to ponies running away.

The inventor had tried to find support in the assassin. At first her words had calmed him down, but after hearing her whole story, he realised he should never look for her advice again, if he didn't want to turn into what she was. It was much better to face the criticism of his friends, who all still loved him, than to look for support in the words of a ruthless killer. Cold sweat ran down the pegasus' muzzle. As he finally reached the group and saw Rainbow Dash, the last pony from the group, he let out a big sigh of relief.