Well there was only one safe haven left for me in Equestria, and that was home. I had been part of an order of elite ponies. That's all gone now. Wiped out by the stronger force that seeks to turn everything we hold dear to ash.
On the horizon I saw it,the roof of town hall. It’s been fifteen years since I’d been home. I was ten when my Mom sent me off to join the order. Now with the order all but destroyed in Manehattan, I've returned to protect my home, Ponyville.
I passed Sweet Apple Acres, an iconic farm. It was there when I was little, I’m not surprised it still stands. I drew my hood up as I closed in upon the main streets. I walked past a few ponies that seemed to immediately begin to whisper about me. Almost every pony stopped and looked as I passed. All still whispering. My clothing was a bit out of the ordinary, the hood and dark robes are a bit.. noticeable.
Never the less I made my way straight to town hall. As i walked in the desk pony looked up,”I’m sorry do you have an appointment?” She asked, seeming bored out of her skull.
“No ma’am but I’d rather just step in and be on my way.” I said reaching for the door.
“Can’t.” She said abruptly using magic to grab one of my wrists.
I broke her hold and opened the door,”Too bad.” I laughed a bit before I heard Mayor Mare,”Ahem!”
“Mayor Mare, you haven’t aged a day,” I said turning and giving her a smile lowering my hood.
“O-oh my, when did you get back to town Night?” She stood shocked by what she was seeing,”I haven’t seen you since you left you worried everypony.”
“Can I get a house, preferably on the outskirts?” I asked not wanting to take up too much of her time.
“Of course.. Do they know you’re home?” I knew who she meant instantly.
“No and I’ll be the one who tells them.” I placed a bag that the mayor opened and went slack jawed,”The house?”
“Pick any one you want.”
With that I headed out to my new house I spied on the way into town. It was two stories and actually quite large. Probably built for a family, and now it was owned by one pony.
I walked in to find it just to my liking, just enough furniture left over for just me. I went into the master bed room and dropped my backpack that contained my bracers and and other clothes. As well as another two bags of bits like the one I gave the Mayor. Not everything was terrible about being the only one left in the Manehattan order.
After I set a few thing in the house in order I donned my bracers and tested the hidden blades, the signature weapon of the Assassin Order. I stepped back into the street only to be nearly knocked over by a pink mare.
“What in Celestia's name did you do that for?” I looked at the crazy mare and couldn't help but notice that her shirt and bra were fighting their hardest to contain what she had. Same with her Jean shorts.
“Well I don’t know you which means you’re new, because I know everypony in Ponyville and I don’t know you.” She shot the words at me at a hundred miles an hour.
“I’m, uh, not new. I lived her fifteen years ago.” I said starting to try to distance myself a bit from the mare. She pressed up against me grabbing my right arm as I tried to walk,”Then I’ll throw you a welcome back party.”
“I’d rather you not.” I said trying to pull.
“Nonsense, I’ll go get it ready!” She bolted off in a blur of pink. I thanked the Goddesses she was gone for now and I hurried through the back routes to my old home. When I reached it I froze. It was like seeing a picture from the past. Nothing had changed, besides new drapes, it was exactly the same as it was fifteen years ago.
I walked to the door and lowered my hood as I braced for what was to come. I raised my hand to the knocker and stopped thinking of what they’d say. I shook my head and knocked three times. I could hear somepony move inside and come towards the door. as the door opened I heard my dad’s voice for the first time since I left,”Who is it?” He stopped as we bot saw each other his yellow and black hair had faded to yellow and gray. Other than that he hadn’t changed a bit. Which meant I had outgrown him by a few inches. I was six-three and he was five-eleven. We stared at each other for a moment before both our eyes teared up and I stepped forward and hugged him tight as he did me.
“I’m home Dad,” he looked up at me holding my shoulders.
“You got tall like your mamma Nini.” He said. I grinned hearing him call me by my old nickname.
“Where is she?” I looked behind him to see my Mom, a bat pony walk in with a mixing bowl that she immediately dropped and ran towards me.
“Hey mo- uff,” I couldn't finish my sentence thanks to my mom tackle hugging me. She stood up and picked me up off the dirt hugging me again. “My baby boy, my baby boy,” She repeated that a few times before I broke the hug.
“I love you too mom.” We all shared a family hug then moved inside.
“Why’d you come home Nini?” My mom asked with all three of us sitting on our couch.
“Mom, you may want to brace yourself a bit. it’s an ugly story.”
My parents sat in shock as I looked back on the event and explained it to them. “It was two weeks ago today,” I started flashing back to it in my memory.
I walked down the busy main street of Manehattan searching the crowds for the pony I was looking for, a Templar secretary. A valuable target who was to be brought back to the council alive. I finally spotted her, a small, red pegasus in the middle of a group of guards. She was apparently even more important than we had thought her to be. A guards golden armor gleamed in the sun and brought my attention to the three pegasi flying above the group. I began walking towards the group giving a simple hand signal and watching happily as my brothers eliminated the flying guards and hid them away on a nearby roof.
I was a few steps from the target when an explosion shook the street. I looked back in horror as all I could see was the skyscraper that served as our brotherhood’s headquarters imploded in on itself and fell to a pile of rubble. I ran towards the rubble only to have the head councilman grab me and hold me back. “They’re gone. We can’t help them,” It was all he said before placing three large bags of bits in my pouch. “Leave this place. Do not return until you have the force to regain this city,” I barely heard him over the screams of civilians running away from the destroyed building. The moment he was done giving me the last orders he would give he made his way to towards the building where Templar agents were now searching for survivors. The last thing I saw, before fleeing as I was instructed, was our leader fighting a horde of Templars.
I snapped back to my parents living room to find my Mom staring at me with a look of pure horror and shock. My Dad had fainted from shock somewhere in my story. He never could handle extreme news. My Mom and I shared an embrace. She had known the council personally, being an Assassin in her day. She finally spoke,”What are you going to do?” I looked her in the eyes saying,”Follow orders.”
My Mom and I shot up as we saw the door shoot open with what sounded like a cannon shot. A large amount of confetti finally settled and I saw the pink pony from earlier, indeed wheeling around a cannon! “It’s time for your Welcome Back Party!” That’s all I heard before being ripped out of my house and into the square. I heard music playing loud and ponies talking to one another. The pink pony dragged me up onto the stage she had set up and grabbed the microphone,”Hey everypony! Meet our guest of honor-”
“Night Stalker,” I said putting my hand to my head. She doesn't even know my name.
“Night Stalker! Now let’s give him a big ol’ Ponyville welcome home,” She pointed to the DJ who immediately spun her music back up loud.
The pink pony, who I eventually learned was named Pinkie Pie, dragged me from group to group introducing me to everyone. She finally brought me to the final group. “Hey gals this is Night Stalker,” Pinkie said as I reached my hand out instinctively from meeting the other groups only to have my arm violently shaken by an orange pony who spoke with a deep southern accent,”Howdy Night, I’m Applejack. You can call me AJ.” I readjusted my arm from the shaking before speaking,”Nice to meet you AJ.” The next one to step up I could tell was full of herself from her strut forward,”Hey, I’m Dash if you haven't heard of me.”
“I haven't but it is nice to meet you.”
“How? But? Wha-? I’m amazing! How haven’t you heard of me?!”
“Uh, you aren't that amazing?” At that point AJ had to restrain the pegasus who looked like she wanted to rip me in half.
During that scene a purple alicorn stepped forward,”My name is Twilight Sparkle, nice to meet you.” I shook her hand before asking,”So miss Sparkle-”
“Twilight.”
“-Twilight, what are you a princess of?”
“The magic of friendship. How’d you know I was a princess?” She asked looking honestly a little shocked.
“Well you’re an alicorn.” I said pointing to her wings and horn.
“Oh. Yeah forgot about that.” She blushed and tried to cover it up.
I quickly apologized ,“Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you.”
“Oh it’s fine, well let me go ahead and introduce the remaining members of our group.” She brought me to a yellow pegasus and introduced her as Fluttershy, who almost fainted when I tried to shake her hand. Finally she brought me up to a unicorn She introduced as Rarity. “Oh I’ve heard of you. You’re a designer right?” She nodded and I heard Dash from behind AJ scream,”ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” Rarity and I shared a quick laugh before a slight bow to the group,”I really should be going, it’s getting late.” We all said our goodbyes and I started to walk away before Twilight tapped my shoulder,”Um, if it wouldn't be any trouble could you come talk to me tomorrow?”
“Not at all princess,” I replied with a smile,”Where do you live?”
“The giant crystal tree,” She stated as if she hadn't just said what she did. I looked over her shoulder to indeed see a giant crystal tree. ‘How did I not notice that?’ I finally looked back at Twilight,”Yeah I should be able to come by. See you tomorrow then?”
“Indeed, thank you.”
I walked back to my parents house and told them where my new home was before heading there. “Well, I think that’s enough for one day.” I showered and slid into my bed falling into another nightmare, same as the others that had started after the attack.
