A City's Understanding

The next hour I spent wandering in the general direction that Sunny had run off in. I felt like an incompetent mother who had just lost track of her child. Only, I did not fear for the child but myself and Flash. What would Father do to me when he found out that I messed up my first mission? It was not the berating I feared but his face of disappointment and his soul-wrenching sighs. What would happen to Flash when Sunny found out about Twilight? This made me lift up the front of my dress so that I could increase my speed. It was improper of me to walk in such a manner, but I did not care at the time.

Since I had no ability to scale the roofs, I was restricted to the streets, looking up for any signs of a rifle or Assassin. I thought of asking the surrounding folk if they saw Sunny, but decided not to. These people never notice such things as they all relish in their wealthy thoughts and plans. I looked up at a clock tower to see that noon was approaching; reminding me that morning tea-time had passed without a single drop sliding down my parched throat.

After zigzagging through a plaza of jewelry merchants, I caught a glimpse of a fire escape that led up to the roofs. I quickly made my way into the alley right below the metal stairway. It was only then that I realised that the ladder that led up to it was drawn up and off the ground. I paused to contemplate my next action.

My first attempt to knock it down was a failure as the small chunks of broken cobblestone only rang loudly against the ladder. My second attempt also did not have much success as the loose bricks I stacked still did not let me reach my goal. I started to pace about in my hopeless determination. I felt so useless with my limited mobility. My jealousy of the Assassins' abilities knew no bounds.

But wait, what exactly prevented me from climbing high enough to reach the ladder? After I asked myself this, I remembered all the pull-ups and climbing high fences that Father made me do in my training. I returned my gaze to wall beside the fire escape. The smooth brick did not give me many handholds which made me huff in disappointment. I had to climb twice my height to even reach the ladder.

I stacked the bricks I found next to the wall about half a meter high. I then backed up and angled myself to run at it so that I could push myself off the wall for an even higher jump. I took a practice run and realised that my dress hindered me too much to run.

"Oh no. This is one of my favorite dresses too." I wailed. "This is for you Father."

I extended my wrist blade and quickly cut the long skirt lengthwise from my waist to my ankles. The action completely ruined my dress, almost jerking a tear from my eye, but I was strong enough to move on. I just hoped I would not run into a gentleman while in my fashionably deprived state.

I gazed at the sky for a moment, sighing to the heavens. The blade retracted itself back under my sleeve. With my new freedom, I raced to the bricks, jumping on them and onto the wall, pushing myself off and finally grabbing the ladder. To say I was surprised at reaching my objective first try was truly an understatement. A yelp of joy emitted from me before I realised what was about to happen next. The ladder wiggled free and we both crashed down to the alley floor. I landed on my feet first but the force still knocked me to the ground. I soon found my face rubbing against the horrid filth of the cobblestone.

I rebounded with a grunt. My hat had flown off in my run and laid sadly on the ground, waiting for me to retrieve it. With a quick brush of my dress, I walked over to it and tripped immediately.

"What?"

I glanced at my right boot to see that the heel had snapped off. Oh, Sunny was getting it now, I mentally screamed. I drew myself up a second time, my mind had erased the hat entirely. I awkwardly stumbled over to the ladder, gripping it and began my unpleasant ascent. Each step up was more enraged than the first. This Assassin had driven me to such lengths already. I was scared that I would butcher her when I found her. If I found her.

I blew my now unruly hair out of my eye and ran up the stairs on my toes alone. It felt like a long, arduous trip, but in reality, it only took me a minute or so to reach the top. Once at the top, my body paused before my mind did.

"Good heavens..."

The building I ascended was much taller than most that surrounded it, giving me a glorious view of the immediate city. The Palace loomed to the north while the high smoke rose in the far south. The great walls that separated peach from destruction held strong and the immaculate spires dotted the uneven skyline. Airships floated over the side of the mountain to the west and east was in the dark shadow of the same monstrous earth structure. It was almost beautiful when I ignored the fog of war that strangled the rioting city in its deathly and unholy grasp. It was almost perfect when I ignored that massive red fist painted on the face of a clock tower that gazed over the walls, staring straight at the Palace. Yes, it was almost blissful when I turned a blind eye to the muzzle flashes that appeared from the wall, each one downward at the unfortunate populace that stirred on the wrong and unprotected side.

"And I hide here like a coward." I muttered.

I found my hands clutched in tight, sweaty fists. The red hand, the horrid symbol of the Nationalist party, laughed at me from the clock tower it tainted. That was no doubt its purpose. A mockery of the Royals and Templar. I now understood the fear Twilight held. Her family was living out there in that despicable imitation of Tartarus. It had been so peaceful just six months ago, but now it was a war zone. It would only become worse if we allowed it to remain the same. The Templar needed to end the riots and the Nationalist party. The Nationalists needed to lose the body of the grand hydra, they needed to lose Sir Charles Tirek.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you, Sommerset."

"That's nice."

"We must get going. You are wasting time with your beloved."

Sunny removed her face from the rifle's scope she was staring down. She gave me an sincerely innocent look. A pair of green goggles were on her forehead that were not there when she ran off. As she lay prone with her barrel overhanging the end of the roof, I waddled impatiently to her.

"What happened to you?" She asked. "Ya look like shite."

"I know fully well!" I exclaimed. "What have you been doing?"

"Watching Flash." She smiled. "The guy's as worried as Hell. I guess he knows I'm following him, but he can't see me. Heh."

"And?"

"And he's been talking with Royal Guards and he chatted with Patsi and his wife. I'm sure you know them. Besides that, nothing out of the usual."

"Well, enough of it! We must get to my home. I want to change into something more appropriate before chasing down Tirek."

"Woah, really?" Sunny cocked a brow. "You know it ain't gonna be that easy? Tirek's got protection and skill. We got to find him first."

I stood over her, trying to keep my balance without my right heel. "Then we should hurry. I mean it. The city is destroying itself and you are here pointing a gun at your man and spying on him. You have better things to do."

"Piss off!" She snapped. "I don't give a damn. I'll get to it when I can."

"What? You told me about your desire to help. That's why you became a Nationalist, no? Then why-"

"Because I found love!" She hissed. "Yeah, mock me. But I was a fool when I joined the Nationalists. Thinking I could make a difference, ha! I'm only an Assassin because of me! I'm only helping you guys because of him! I just wanted to be free so that I could be with him again."

Her voice trailed off into premature silence. I was lost for words. She placed a man who was with another above the city she lived in? I could not understand it, but I was less ignorant of Flash's behaviour than she. I was tempted to simply tell her the truth, but the rifle in her hands prevented me from doing so. I was certain she would end him without remorse if she knew about Twilight.

"Sunny....I..." I slowly began. "You can be with Flash when the time comes. However, Tirek is more important. Besides, the Nationalists kill Officers all the time. You could be saving his life, darling."

"And I could save him by killing his Templar masters." She commented before returning her eye to the scope. "I'll do what I see fit. Now let me be."

I took a deep breath. "No."

She lifted her eyes from the scope again. "What did you say?"

"No." I repeated.

"I'm not your soldier. I'm an Assassin that could pop your pretty little head off before you could cry to your father. You sure you want to tell me 'no?'"

Her tone was lined with aggression but I held firm. "I've faced an Assassin before and lived."

She touched her chin in an almost mocking way. She then slapped the roof before standing up, leaving her rifle on the ground. She walked right up to me, our noses practically touching. A thin smile crept on her arrogant face.

"You've never faced a true Assassin. I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget you Templar bitch."

I heard her wrist blade extend. I had planned my action before hers and with my wrist blade, stabbed her in the side. I felt blood gush out onto my hand and staining my white dress. Her eyes twitched and she slowly looked down at her new wound.

"You had...." She gasped.

"From the first Assassin I encountered." I added.

She slid off my blade and landed on the roof with a soft thud. I took a handkerchief out and calmly cleaned my blade before retracting it. She gasped for air and held her wound. I felt much better and smiled down at her.

"Don't worry, you won't die from that wound. I know enough of the human body to know this."

"You bitch...You stabbed me!" She yelled.

"Yes. Do remember that next time you call me a 'bitch.' Ladies like us shouldn't use such foul language. Now that you've been taught a lesson in respecting your superiors, we are going to my home and will commence our mission. Well....when you've fully recovered."

"You actually killed an Assassin...." She marveled.

"Indeed. He attacked my father. I did not actually kill him, but I made sure he was the one being killed." I showed her my weapons. "Father gave me these as reassurance for my protection."

"What was his name?"

"I do not know. Nor do I know his face. It was very dark."

"He was probably one of my friends." She leaned her head back and stared airily into the sky.

I hesitated before changing the subject. "You should see a medic for that wound. Father has some medical experience, we should see him. Don't want it infected...right?"

"I guess so. Can't believe I lost to you..."

"I seem to have the element of surprise then." I joked to lighten mood.

With blood, mud, scrapes, and unkempt hair, I picked her up and slung her over my shoulder. I half expected her to retaliate with her own blade, but she never did. Instead, she coughed and held her side in apparent agony. She asked for me to carry her rifle before we left. I obliged and slung it over my other shoulder. It was surprisingly heavy and the weight of her and her "Shimmer" was felt throughout the small journey.

"I don't know what to think."

"Father, I hope I didn't go too far."

"Yeah, you did, when you brought her here!"

Father cursed beneath his breath as he paced our living room. Sunny rested on our couch, trying her best not to bleed all over its fine patterns. I gulped in my stupidity of bringing an Assassin to my home. The whole situation would have been disastrous if Mother and Sweetie had not gone to the market.

"What are we going to tell them?" Father rubbed his face. "Your mother would know instantly, but Sweetie? Sigh, she shouldn't see a woman bleeding out on the couch."

"She's not going to die at least." I squeaked.

"No, she's not staying here Rarity!" Father pointed his finger at her. "If she needs treatment, take her to the Palace."

"That's too far."

"Fine, then the Guard's Hospital, but make sure they know you're Templar. We don't want the Police to apprehend her."

"I had enough time in jail..." Sunny groaned.

"Why....Why did you stab her?" Father asked incredulously.

"I called her a name." Sunny replied.

"She was about to attack me!" I defended myself.

"No I wasn't!" Sunny hissed. "I wasn't gonna kill you. I just wanted to intimidate you."

"It doesn't matter!" Father waved his arms about. "Get out of my house! Both of you." He walked over to me. "Miss Sommerset is our best chance at finding Tirek, do well to make sure she doesn't become permanently impaired by this wound. If she does....I'll....I'll..."

He couldn't finish and shook his head. The man sat down, rubbing the sweat from his forehead with a napkin from a table. I took Sunny up again and we sped out of the house. We didn't even close the door behind us.

"Your dad's mean." Sunny remarked.

"No he's not, he's just stressed." I said. "I believe that the hospital is this way.

"You mean you don't know?"

"No...Not really. I have not lived here very long."

"Well, I'm screwed. Thanks for everything." She sighed.

We reached the corner between 8th Street and 14th Street before stopping. People gave us queer looks when they passed, most not even noticing Sunny dark red blood against her black dress. I was able to change into my combat outfit before Father showed up. Thus I was in much better shape to move about, but appeared like a crook compared to the fine nobles.

"I don't know where to turn." I croaked.

"Just lay me down."

I blinked before doing so. I leaned her gently on the wall of a hat store. She grimaced in pain before taking a deep breath and relaxing herself. I sat next to her, not really knowing what to do. Not a single soul asked us about our business or predicament. Most avoided eye contact while they swiftly passed. All except one.

"Hello Miss Belle."

"Dr. Turner? You are following me!"

"Doc? What ya doing here?" Sunny asked.

"Why, Sunny, I'm here to help you. I found a trail of blood going away from the Belle's home and thought I would follow it and here we are. I'm glad you are out of prison. Now, what happened.

Sunny pointed an accusing finger at me. "She stabbed me."

Dr. Turner lifted an accusing brow. "How could you! I thought you'd be one for negotiations."

"Be quiet." I griped. "Just help the poor girl."

"Happily. Now, where did Miss Belle stab you?"

Sunny lifted her arm to reveal the wound. Dr. Turner reached in his pocket to retrieve a pair of spectacles which he promptly slid over his eyes. He inspected the wound with a click of his tongue.

"That's a deep wound." He uttered.

"I didn't mean for it to be deep." I muttered.

He glanced at me with a grin. "That's what they all say. When you play with knives, you're going to get hurt."

"Thanks for the advice, detective." Sunny mocked him. "Now fix me!"

"This takes time. If you rush me, I could make it worse."

Sunny grumbled. "You haven't changed at all. You know what, I'll take my chances with the Police at the hospital."

"Lie down."

Dr. Turner took her shoulders and stretched her on the sidewalk. She was quite unamused at his actions, but held her opinions to herself. He reached in his coat pockets and retrieved a needle and thread. Next was a small case of whiskey.

"No I do not drink. I keep this for....medical purposes." He told us.

He gestured for me to pin her arms down. Sunny was greatly confused by this, but she soon knew what he was about to do. She sighed again and shook her head.

"I've been through worse."

"No doubt." Dr. Turner nodded. "But it's best to not make a scene."

The former medic began to stitch up the wound carefully. Sunny moaned with every new loop he made. He was done in little time and finished with a satisfied grin. Sunny tried to get up, but he held at place.

"Take it slow. Last thing you want to do is reopen the wound."

She swatted his hand away and sat up anyway. I supported her by having my arm on her back. Dr. Turner shrugged at the Assassin's disobedience and stood up with a swift check at his prized watch.

"Well, that's done." He nodded. "Now's the time for me to ask you why you are with Miss Belle."

"Yeah, about that..." Sunny fumbled. "I kinda made a deal with the Templar."

"We only wish her to kill Tirek." I finished for her.

"Ah, I see." He folded his arms. "So you have left the Nationalists?"

"When they elected Tirek, yes." Sunny answered.

I stood up and gestured at towards the south. "When I was on the rooftops, I saw just how horrid it is across the wall. As a Templar, as a human being, I should not just sit back and watch. We must begin our search tonight."

"Ha, you'll have to cross the wall Miss Belle." Turner reminded me. "They close at 5 o'clock. Even as a Templar, I doubt you could simply walk through the gate with Sunny."

"Then we must go a different path." I concluded. "I know I shouldn't trust you, but I know you snuck over the wall. Can you take us to your secret passage?"

"Sunny is in no position to-"

"I'm fine Doc." She said quickly. "And don't even think about showing her our passageway. She'll rat on us."

Dr. Turner rubbed his chin in thought, every so often making a grimace or frown. He started to pace around us, his hood covering his eyes. I started to tap my foot impatiently which caused him to stop and curse.

"Bloody Hell, I guess I will." He pointed at Sunny. "She's not like the other Templar. I think we can trust her. She is trusting us, which itself is unheard of. Fine, Rarity, I will escort you and Sunny out of the Royal Grounds. We must do so at night though."

"Of course."

Sunny growled as she punched the sidewalk in disapproval. Her face was set in an exaggerated frown and half-opened eyes. It was obvious she was disappointed in her comrade, but also fighting herself over the subject. She probably was still wanting to chase after Flash and forget about Tirek. She rubbed her eyes with her black gloves and shook her head.

"I don't like it, but when has anyone ever listened to me. This is gonna be a long night..."

I never went back to my home that afternoon. I knew this would be suspicious to my father and hoped he wouldn't chase after me immediately. Sunny was able to walk after being stitched up, but her mobility was greatly hindered. She kept her arms crossed most of the time, grumbling annoyingly until both Dr. Turner and I told her to stop it. She replied only by frowning harder and sitting in utter silence.

Dr. Turner led us to a small bakery beside the wall. Sunny seemed to have been there before as she was familiar with the place. I assumed that she visited it in her childhood. We took our seats at a table and Turner walked away to chat with the owner. I watched them as they talked. I could not hear their speech but the man's shifty eyes told me that he was an Assassin spy. They both glanced at me before departing. Dr. Turner reached our table and sighed.

"I have come to a conclusion." He began before suddenly checking his watch. "I have come to the conclusion that you should not know the way through the wall. I'm sorry Miss Belle."

I raised an eyebrow and parted my lips to speak, but he was faster and extended his wrist blade and poked me on the neck. It felt no more painful than a vaccine and I instinctively placed a hand to the spot. As he withdrew his hidden blade, I spied a small needle and tube that was attached to it. I then knew exactly what he did.

"Are you serious?" I demanded as the world began to spin.

"Even though you have been respectful of the Brotherhood, you are still Templar and a Loyalist. You should understand." He answered.

The world faded away and I slumped over in my seat. The last thing I saw was the worried look in the medic's face. A look similar to one that just performed an action they already regretted.

"Look Rarity, the moon's out." A sweet voice called to me.

I opened my eyes. The world was actually brighter than I left it. I found out that this was due to me staring at the full moon directly, making my eyes burn slightly. I threw my hand up to block it. My other hand slid along the ground, feeling the grass. Wait. Grass. My eyes widened as I realised I was lying on the dirt and grass. With a squeal, I jump up and onto my feet, brushing all the filth off my outfit. I then found some twigs in my hair and pulled them out as well. It was not until then that I saw a girl standing in front of me.

The girl brushed her long pink hair out of her eye. A thin pout was on her pale lips and her bright eyes glowed slightly with the moonlight. Her green dress wrapped around her thin body flapped lightly in the breeze. She grimaced at my sudden actions and backed away a couple of steps. When she saw that I had finished, she placed a lukewarm smile that was heated greatly by her kind eyes.

"It's nice to see that you're awake. You must of hit your head pretty hard."

"Fluttershy? What...What are you doing out here?"

"Um...Timothy told me to watch you until you woke up. He's a medic, you know. The kind man told me you fell down and hit your head."

"Timothy? Oh, Dr. Turner?"

She nodded her head quickly, making her hair fly back over her eye. I blinked in confusion. She was on first name terms with Turner? It never crossed my mind that she could be involved with the Brotherhood. I was about to comment on this when Dr. Turner appeared from the shadows with a white smile.

"G'night Miss Belle." He bowed slightly. "And to you too, Felicity."

"Bonjour." Fluttershy giggled. "Where's Sarah?"

"Ah, she's at the tunnel entrance awaiting Miss Belle and I." Tuner explained.

I started to look about. The surrounding area was somewhat familiar to me. Trees, shrubs, exotic grasses, and a few tall plants were all to be held. We were at the bottom of a tall hill and at the edge of the mountain. It didn't take me long to calculate my position.

"This is the Royal Gardens, isn't it?" I interjected as the other two chatted.

"Great guess, but no." Turner shook his head. "We went far-"

"This is the Royal Gardens yes." Fluttershy stated happily.

"Felicity!" Turner turned to the girl in disbelief.

Her face faltered. "Oh...did I say something I shouldn't? Oh no...I'm sorry." She lowered her head dramatically.

"The tunnel starts in the Gardens!" I yelled. "All this time? No wonder you and Octavia ran away from the Gala so swiftly." I then pointed at Fluttershy. "And you helped them escape!"

"I did what?" She gasped. "Oh Timothy, did I do something illegal again?"

The girl started to bite her fingernails in shear anxiety. I suddenly felt bad for accusing her of such a crime. Turner placed his head in his palm and sighed loudly.

"She had nothing to do with it Miss Belle." He explained. "Felicity is a Loyalist."

She nodded weakly. I folded my arms and looked away. The young woman was not involved with this secret war after all. No Loyalist would help an Assassin knowingly or willingly. I glanced at Turner who gestured for me to follow.

We went a short way and arrived at Sunny who was standing over what appeared to be a manhole. She did not say anything and climbed down quickly. Turner walked over to it and offered me to go first.

"It would be rude of me to go ahead." He said.

"That leads to a sewer. A bloody sewer!" I cursed. "I....I can't go down there."

"It's the only way unless you want to go through security at the gate. Your father is no doubt searching for you and he would find you there."

"A scolding from him does not scare me." I mumbled.

"But filth does?" He raised an eyebrow. "I assure you, this sewer is not connected to the waterways beneath the city." He watched my reaction with annoyance. "Rarity, there is a city destroying itself out there. You, a Templar and harbinger of a new order, are simply going to let it all sink because of some mud?"

"It seems that way." I concluded.

"Get your arse down here!" I heard Sunny scream from below.

"Don't make me force you." Turner said. "I may be a gentleman, but I am willing to drag you down myself."

"Why can't I just leave? I'm Templar, not Assassin. You can hunt Tirek down without me."

"No, the reason why you must come is that you know of the passage now. I can't let you go back to your father and tell him. The Brotherhood would be very angry at me for my negligence. As of right now, you're our prisoner."

"You Assassins! I trusted you on this."

"Well, sorry?" He shrugged. "We are still going after Tirek, you just can't leave our sight. If you behave, we'll take you back home when it's over. If you don't, then we'll be forced to give you to the Mentor."

I huffed before calming down. "You drive a hard bargain, but fine! Just fine!"

I stomped over to the manhole and began to climb down. It was not dark as Sunny had a lit torch below. I was thankful for wearing my combat gloves as I simply could not imagine touching the corroding ladder with my bare hands. I reached the bottom with Turner urging me forward with his speedy descent down the ladder.

"C'mon princess, let's go." Sunny muttered to me and led the way.

Only a few meters in and already everything was black. The torch was our only source of light through the sewer, revealing the scrambling rats that called the place home. It was a nightmare to me, but I lasted.

"You and Octavia went through here in your formal clothes?" I asked incredulously.

"Ha! No, we went through here in our usual attire. She had to carry her cello all the way though." Turner answered.

"How is that stubborn girl anyway?" Sunny glanced back.

Turner sighed. "Well, she still calls herself an Assassin even though she's still with the Nationalists. She said Tirek was the right choice for this city and sticks with him like glue. She's mad I say."

"I met Octavia." I said. "Not the nicest of girls."

"Like Hell." Sunny exclaimed. "Octy has always been stuck up. She doesn't even come from a rich family. I mean, she played the cello for a living! She only joined the Brotherhood for revenge too."

"What did the Templar ever do to her?"

Turner answered me first. "Nothing directly. You see, her friend Scratch was in a massive factory incident 12 years ago. The boy lost his parents to the flames and his face and right arm. Octavia told me he lost his nose, eyelids, all the skin from his chest up, ears, cheekbones, and his vocals. His arm was lost to the flames and only recently did he have a mechanical one replace it. She thinks that the Templar are responsible since they have no care for the workers' safety."

"I guess I can see that..." I contemplated.

"Scratch is a freak." Sunny said monotonously. "He wears a steel mask that looks like a malformed skull. Not to mention the weird eye devices that keep his lidless eyes wet. He always just stares at ya, not saying anything at all."

"That because he can't speak, Sunny." Turner reminded her sharply. "He's been through much more than you."

"Hmph."

An awkward silence fell upon us as we traversed the lonely tunnel. Apparently these tunnels were a part of unused sewers that were built during Canterlot's infancy. They never actually connected to any main waterline and thus were forgotten as an engineer's mistake. I knew that my father did not know its existence otherwise the Templar would have sealed it up long ago. To have such an entrance concealed to the Order was baffling to say the least.

It was a long and tedious journey to the end of the tunnel where a stone wall rose into the ground above us. Sunny halted and threw the dim torch on the ground. She then pressed a button in the wall which made a ladder fall down from above, almost hitting my head.

"I'll go to see if it's clear up there." Sunny told us and promptly climbed the old ladder.

I felt Turner's large hand rest on my shoulder. I turned to see that he held an anxious frown on his countenance. He shook me absently with his hand, making me sway slightly.

"A woman like you shouldn't be in the Capital. It's a mess through and through. Nationalists, Unionists, Loyalists, Assassins, Royals, and Templar are fighting for control up there. I'll be with you, but you need to be careful."

I removed his hand. "I'm stronger than I look, Dr. Turner. I'll be fine."

"That's what I told Father." He added with a huff.

Sunny banged the ladder three times, signaling that the coast was clear. Dr. Turner gestured for me to go first and I did. The ladder was actually cleaner than the one by Gardens, which made me confused, but I threw it out of my mind quickly. Sunny stretched a hand to me and aided my last steps out of the manhole.

I dusted myself off when I got out of the tunnel. The moon was behind an old tower and thus there wasn't much to see in the darkness. Bits and pieces of trash flew in the light breeze and scrapped along the cobblestone. A couple of gangsters chatted on the nearby street corner, both with cigars in their mouths. The sound of a neighing horse echoed through the ghostly streets. The flapping of a large flag was the much noticeable object in my surroundings. The flag was a light purple with a dominant black equal sign in the middle. Turner approached me from behind and I saw his arm point at the flag.

"Welcome to Unionist territory."