//-------------------------------------------------------// Among the Crowd -by Nightraven- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// From a Gentleman to a real Assassin //-------------------------------------------------------// From a Gentleman to a real Assassin Tell me, did you ever had the feeling of "Oh wow, I'm really here. That's so awesome!" But then, you look down at yourself and think "Oh shit, I shouldn't be here. I'm so dead..." Well...this happened to me. For you see...wait, I'll start where I should start. It was around summer and I went to one of the many conventions that were around at that time. You see, I finally had one cosplay ready to go. I was working on a Ganondorf and actually wanted to go as him. However, since it was not ready at that time, and I really wanted to suit up there as something, I went with my already finished suit of the BLU Spy from Team Fortress 2. Anyway, as I came to the con ground, I was greeted by a RED Sniper and a RED Pyro, quite a funny group. To be honest, I didn't know them, they were just randomly there, but the two of us, since the Pyro doesn't really talk, went along really good and we three spent our time together on said convention. After some eating sessions, some pictures we made of me backstabbing the Sniper, with and without his Razorback, and the Pyro chasing me with his Phlogistinator, we went up to some of the merchants to buy some new props for ourselves. If you're familiar with TF2, I actually carry two loadouts with me, simply because I love both. The first consists of the Ambassador, the Stock Knife and the Cloak'n'Dagger, the second being the L'Etranger and Your Eternal Reward...but I was missing the Dead Ringer on that one since I did not find any suitable prop of it. However, one of those merchants we visited actually looked up at me and started a conversation. "If it isn't the French Assassin, an honor to meet you. What is one like you doing at a place like this?" "Well, good friend, I am looking for a certain pocket watch, to keep track of the time of course." "Well...let me see if I just have the right one for you..." With that, he went to some crates before he came back with a small chest. I could imagine what would be inside but I wanted to make sure that it is really what I wanted. "What is inside that chest?" "For the answer you seek, go ahead...take a peek..." I knew that line somewhere...it lingered in my mind...I knew that very sentence...but why? It didn't matter for me at that moment, so I filed it away for later and opened the chest to look at the inside. And what I saw was simply astonishing. Inside was a simple, golden pocket watch. It's cover was decorated with a bird. But for my eyes, I knew exactly what this was, a perfect replica of the Dead Ringer. It looked perfect, from the outside and the inside as well. "Well, how much does a merchant like you want for something like this?" "Usually around 300$...but for a man, a gentleman of your quality, I could cut the price down in half." "If it is the case, then consider this a good deal made with me." After exchanging money for watch, I turned around to my comrades to lead the way once again. All the time we went through the convention, I couldn't help but look at the Dead Ringer, it was truly a masterpiece. However, at some point I can't really recall, some people shouted at me. I didn't know why, but it was already too late as I realized a huge statue of a Space Marine from Warhammer 40k falling on me. After that...all went black -----Unknown Location----- -----Unknown Time----- I woke up after what felt like quite some time. I looked around to find myself in a forest, rather in a clearing of the forest. It was quite a nice place, the grass was soft, the sun was shining through the canopy of the trees. But something in my mind was telling me that this was clearly wrong. Where...where am I? This feeling...there has to be a reason for why I don't like this place...Come to think of it, how did I end up here in the first place? For you see...as I went to the convention center, there wasn't a single patch of forest, meaning I am no longer anywhere near the center... As I slowly stood up, I noticed myself still wearing my Spy costume. At this point however, it was all the clothing I had with me since I left the rest in my car. I turned around to find what looked like the end of the forest. Leaving the forest, I found some train tracks. Considering my options, I decided to follow these tracks in one direction since they'll lead me back to civilization. However...as I followed them, I saw them leading to what looked like a small village. And as I saw the layout of the village, the one sentence the merchant spoke came back to my mind. ...for the answer you seek...go ahead, take a peek... I could tell where I was supposed to be, but it was unimaginable for my mind. I landed in Equestria, and the village in front of my was none other than Ponyville. -----Around Afternoon----- -----Outskirts of Ponyville----- So...I was in Ponyville...or so I was supposed to. After taking a good look at the citizens of the village without being spotted myself, I was pretty sure that by now I was in Equestria meaning that somehow  had crossed dimensions....a terrifying thought. I made my way all around Ponyville and decided to stay in the Everfree for now for several reasons. One, I could find Zecora and I believe her to be very nice. Two, the way back to the other forest would take way too long. Three, I can always observe the ponies to see if anything of interest happens. So...yeah, I moved into the Everfree and as I went deeper, I already got greeted by a manticore. Although it was rather small, compared to what I saw in the show, it still was dangerous. As I slowly moved backwards, since it still was tall enough to attack me and be a potential threat, I did something I didn't really think about. Before the beast could even attempt to attack me, I raised my left arm up and clicked on the wrist watch, the Cloak-N-Dagger, and within an instant I became invisible. I didn't really mind how it was possible for me to do that, I just simply knew I was safe for now since it couldn't see me. I slowly moved around the manticore, which was obviously confused since I simply disappeared into nowhere, remembering myself that the C&D drains with increased movement. As I came around to it's back, my hand moved around within the blink of an eye and suddenly I held one of my knives, Your Eternal Reward. I wasn't really wondering if that knife would work since I was invisible already. I decloaked quietly enough for the beast to not notice me and did the only think every Spy would do in a situation like this: I backstabbed it. Of course there was no sound as the manticore pup vanished into thin air...but there was a feeling on my body. I could feel things I shouldn't have and as I looked around, there was nothing I could see. After quite some while, I found a little pond where I took a better look on me and what I saw was confusing. I saw the exact same manticore I just killed standing on but it's hindlegs, staring back at me. Of course I realized soon that Your Eternal Reward was actually working...but it was different. I always thought you simply take on a "disguise" of your recent victim, but I could really feel those wings on my back and the scorpion tail. On the off chance that someone, rather somepony could see me right now, I went down to a quadruped stance, walking around on all four. I moved up to a tree and thought about piercing it with my tail and the exact same thing happened. For me, it looked like something invisible made a small hole in the tree as I couldn't see my tail but I could see the hole I made with it... After that little discovery, I continued to explore the forest while in disguise since ponies react better to a manticore pup than a bipedal creature walking around, at least in my opinion. However, I soon realized that I became hungry since the pup vanished and I didn't eat anything for hours. But finally I could see one end of the forest and there was a cottage close to it. So I am at Fluttershy's. If this disguise works out pretty well, maybe I can stay with her... As I was thinking about a way to get there without her fearing me, I didn't notice my wings stretched out and I bumped both into some trees, which threw me off balance as I tumbled down the road ending on her doorstep. There was a good and a bad thing to it: Good that I finally had a reason to be here since my wings had some bruises. Bad that I actually felt the pain of my hurt wings. So...seems like being in Equestria really messed up some of the mechanics of the Spy... Of course I made some noise while tumbling around as a certain yellow pegasus opened the door and saw me sitting there. I, on my part, tried to make a facial expression showing the pain I had, making it incredible easy for her, or rather her bear, to pick me up and bring me inside. "Oh my dear, I just hope you aren't hurt too much. Here, let me check you." I didn't move an inch as she checked on my wings, treated them very good and gave me some food. It sounds weird of course but I really enjoyed the meal. Don't ask me why but I really did. By the time I felt better, I left her house and returned to the forest. It was already evening as I came back to a cave I found on the exploration, being tired of the whole mess that happened that day. But one thing I knew, I couldn't live like this forever. I had to find a way to get inside Ponyville for a long time, meaning I had to find a pony or something else and kill it...oh that would be a real nuisance...