Pony's Creed 2

Two years after the incident with Flash Sentry and Fluer dis Lee, Octavia was sitting on a bench in Canterlot, her back facing the sea. Pumpkin Cake walked up to her.

“There you are, Octavia,” she said. “Why so serious?”

“It's my birthday,” Octavia mumbled.

“Davvero?” Pumpkin Cake asked. “Cento di questi giorni! That's wonderful.”

“Is it?” Octavia asked. “It's been over ten years since I watched my father, sister, and brother die. Ten years hunting the ponies responsible. I'm so close to the end now, but no closer to understanding what any of it was for.”

“You may not see it, Octavia,” Pumpkin Cake said. “But it's better here now because of the things you've done. Basta. Look here. I have a birthday present for you. It's L'Arsenale's shipping manifest. From the day the boat left.”

“The boat to Vanhoover?” Octavia asked. “You're serious?” She reached for the manifest, but Pumpkin Cake pulled it away.

“And guess when it's scheduled to return?” she said. “Tomorrow.”

“Octavia,” a voice said. Octavia turned to see Applebloom.

“Applebloom,” she cried. “When did you get back?”

“Just now,” Applebloom said. “I need to talk to you right away.”

“Go on,” Pumpkin Cake urged. “Have fun, girls.” She gave the shipping manifest to Octavia.

“This better be good,” Octavia threatened Applebloom.

“Oh, it is,” Applebloom said. “It is. Walk with me, but stay close.” Octavia stood up and followed Applebloom around Canterlot.

“These last two codex pages,” Applebloom started. “I've been studying the copies. I don't know why I never saw it before. But when put together, I realize the figures on the back clarify into words. Here, 'The prophet...will appear...when the second piece...is brought to the floating city.”

“Prophet,” Octavia wondered. “'Only the prophet may open it…two Pieces of Eden...'”

“What are you saying?” Applebloom asked. “Octavia, what is this?”

“We have known each other a long time, Applebloom,” Octavia said. “If I can't trust you, there is nopony. My aunt Fluttershy spoke of it long ago. A prophesy hidden in the codex, leading to an ancient vault, that holds something very powerful.”

“Grandioso,” Applebloom marveled. “But if you took these paged from Starlight Glimmer and Flash Sentry, then maybe they know about this vault too. That's not good.”

“Wait,” Octavia realized. “What if that's why they sent that ship to Vanhoover? To find this 'Piece of Eden'? And bring it back to Canterlot?”

“'When the second piece is brought to the floating city, the prophet will appear.'” Applebloom quoted.

“Only the prophet can open the vault,” Octavia said. “My god! When my aunt told me about the codex, I was too young. Too brash to believe it was anything but an old donkey's fantasy. But now I see. The killing of Flitter. Even the La Moda. My father, sister, and brother. It was all part of her plan. To find the vault. The Alicorn!”

“Celestia,” Applebloom gasped.

“The boat from Vanhoover arrives tomorrow,” Octavia said. “I plan to be there to meet it.”

“Good luck, my friend,” Applebloom said. Octavia left for the docks to wait for the boat from Vanhoover. When it arrived the next morning, two armored guards stepped off, one of them holding a large object that looked like a budding flower. Octavia noticed something from the corner of her eye. She looked to see Fluttershy sneaking around.

“Aunt Fluttershy?” she asked herself. She looked back to the guards. “Where are they taking it?” she wondered. She followed the guard with the Piece of Eden until they reached a darkened alley.

“The Maestra awaits,” a guard waiting said. “She will not suffer mistakes. Package it correctly, and do it now.”

“The Alicorn's here?!” Octavia gasped. “That changes things.” Octavia climbed up to a roof and jumped. She killed the guard packaging the Piece of Eden and stole his armor. She looked at the Piece of Eden as the guard captain walked in. Octavia looked up and stood up with the box.

“Yes sir?” she asked in a deep voice.

“This is a moment of great importance,” the captain said. “Stay in formation. Make this right.” Octavia nodded and followed the captain to an area in the outskirts of Canterlot. Celestia was waiting. The captain dropped to a knee, and Octavia did the same.”

“You really have it?” Celestia asked. “You were not followed?”

“Absolutely,” the captain said. “Everything went perfectly. We have followed your orders exactly as specified.” The captain suddenly began to groan, and blood spurted from his chest. He fell dead. Celestia recognized the form of attack.

“Octavia,” she said. “It has been some time.” The two guards with Octavia drew their swords. Celestia stopped them.

“Leave her to me,” she ordered. Octavia put down the box as the guards walked away.

“Celestia,” she growled. “So? Where is she?”

“Who?” Celestia asked.

“Your prophet?” Octavia cried. “It doesn't look like anypony showed up, Celestia. How many ponies have died for this? For what's in this box? And look! There's nopony here.” Celestia chuckled.

“You claim not to be a believer,” she said. “And yet here you are. Don't you see? The prophet is already here. I am the prophet.” Celestia drew her sword. “Now give me the Apple,” she demanded.

“Come and take it from me,” Octavia dared. She drew her sword. Celestia and Octavia traded swings of their blades, each one countering the other. Octavia gained the upper hoof for a moment and knocked Celestia back.

“Is this all you have?” Celestia asked. “Where are the rest of your ponies?”

“What ponies?” Octavia asked.

“You really have no idea, do you?” Celestia realized. “Guards!” Fluttershy suddenly stepped up behind Octavia, who turned to look.

“Fluttershy!” Octavia cried.

“Don't worry, nipota,” Fluttershy assured. “You are not alone.” A guard knocked Octavia back, and was immediately stabbed in the back by La Volpe.

“Volpe?” Octavia asked. “What are you doing here?”

“We could very well ask you the same thing,” La Volpe said. A guard was suddenly stabbed in the head by a knife. Lightning Dust and Night Glider showed up.

“Save your questions, sister,” Lightning Dust said, drawing her sword. “Don't let Celestia get that box.” Night Glider gave a cry and charged. Octavia joined the fight. She went after Celestia while everypony else attacked the guards.

“Now you all shall die,” Celestia hissed. She and Octavia engaged in brutal combat. Fluttershy, La Volpe, Lightning Dust, and Night Glider all helped Octavia in her fight against Celestia. Octavia and Celestia fought more forcefully than they had before. Octavia knocked Celestia back after a time. She raised her sword.

“This is for my father, you...” she said, but was kicked back. Celestia ran off. Lotus came up to help Octavia.

“Lotus?” Octavia asked.

“She's gone now,” Lotus said. “But we have what we came for.”

“No!” Octavia cried. “I need to go after her!”

“Do you really now?” a voice asked. Octavia turned to see Apple Fritter. “Or are you here for another reason?”

“Apple Fritter?” Octavia gasped. “But...what are you all doing here?”

“Perhaps the same thing you are, Octavia,” a voice in the back said. A tall mare came to the front. “Hoping to see the prophet appear.”

“I came here to kill The Alicorn,” Octavia said. “I couldn't care less about your prophet. She never showed up.”

“No,” the mare said. “But you did.”

“What?” Octavia asked.

“A prophet's arrival was foretold,” the mare said. “And unbeknownst to us, here you are. Perhaps all along, you were the one we sought.”

“Cosa?” Octavia asked. “Who are you?”

“Spitfire,” the mare said. “I am an Assassin, trained in the ancient ways to safeguard ponykind's evolution. Just like you, and each one of us here.”

“You are all Assassins?” Octavia marveled. “Lotus? Volpe?”

“It's true, nipota,” Fluttershy said. “We have all been guiding you for years. Teaching you the skills you would need to join our ranks. I think it's time.”

“We have our prize, but there is much to be done,” Lightning Dust said. “Come meet us here at sunset.” Lightning Dust gave Octavia a map, and she and all the other Assassins left. Octavia left as well.

That night, the Assassins met atop a tower in Canterlot. They were holding a ceremony for Octavia's initiation into the Creed. Octavia was in her Assassin robes, and Fluttershy had lit a fire of coals.

“Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine,” Fluttershy spoke. “These are the words spoken by our ancestors, that lay at the heart of our Creed.”

“Where other ponies blindly follow the truth,” Spitfire said. “Remember...”

“Nothing is true,” Octavia finished.

“Where other ponies are limited by morality or law,” Spitfire continued. “Remember...”

“Everything is permitted,” Octavia said.

“We work in the dark to serve the light,” Spitfire said. “We are Assassins.”

“Nothing is true,” the group chorused. “Everything is permitted.”

“It is time, Octavia,” Fluttershy said. “In this modern age, we are not so literal as our ancestors. But our seal is no less permanent. Are you ready to join us.”

“I am,” Octavia said. Lightning Dust pulled a clamp used for blacksmiths out of the coals. The tip was red hot.

“This only hurts for a while, sister,” she said. “Like so many things.” Lightning Dust pressed the clamp on Octavia's hoof. Octavia winced in pain as the red hot clamp burned the Assassin seal onto her hoof. Lightning Dust lifted the clamp.

“Benvenuto, Octavia,” Spitfire said. “You are one of us now. Come. We have much to do.” The Assassins jumped off the tower into a hay pile below, which they called a Leap of Faith, meant for the Creed. When all the Assassins had jumped, Octavia did the same.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rainbow Dash abruptly woke up from her Animus session. Applejack walked over to her.

“Are you OK?” she asked. “Do you want to stop?”

“No,” Rainbow Dash said. “I need to go back. Right now.” Applejack nodded to Vinyl as Rainbow Dash lay back down. She slipped back into Octavia's time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Octavia made her way to the Villa de Melody, Hooves noticed something.

“Uh oh,” he said. “Oh dear.”

“Hooves?” Applejack asked.

“Of course,” Hooves said. “How could I have forgotten?”

“Would you care to share with the rest of us?” Rainbow Dash telepathically asked.

“Celestia is elected Pope in 1492,” Hooves said. “Which means Octavia's greatest enemy is now the most powerful mare in Equestria.”

“I always wanted to visit the Pope Castle,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Well, you get to now, Rainbow,” Hooves said. “Happy days. Exactly what we all need.”

Octavia stepped into Fluttershy's library, where the Assassins had gathered.

“Octavia!” Fluttershy cried.

“It is time, Fluttershy,” Octavia said. “Let us finish what you and my father started all those years ago.”

“Indeed,” Fluttershy agreed. “Perhaps now we can finally make sense of this prophesy, and put a stop to whatever it is Celestia is planning.”

“We should start by locating the vault,” Octavia suggested. “The codex pages will lead us to it. Let's take a look.” Octavia placed the Apple of Eden on a pedestal in the library, and the Apple began to glow with a blinding light. It revealed a map on the many codex pages that were collected.

“It is a map of the entire world,” Octavia said. “But there are lands shown here that do not exist.”

“Apparently they do exist,” Spitfire said. “I imagine they've yet to be discovered. Or rediscovered.”

“How is this possible?” Octavia asked.

“Perhaps the vault will hold the answer,” Spitfire guessed.

“Do you see where it is then?” Lotus asked. Octavia looked at the map, and her eyes went wide.

“No,” she gasped. “It can't be. It says that the vault is in Ponyville. The Alicorn. This is why she became Pope.”

“Now I understand,” Fluttershy said. “It's not the vault alone he's gained access to, but the staff as well.”

“What staff?” Apple Fritter asked.

“The codex always spoke of two keys,” Fluttershy explained. “Two Pieces of Eden needed to open the vault. One is the Apple.”

“And the other is the staff,” Octavia said. “The Papal Staff is the second Piece of Eden.”

“For years, no, decades,” Fluttershy said. “We've sought these answers.”

“And now, at last, we have them,” Lotus said.

“But so too could The Alicorn,” Lightning Dust worried. “And if she does, if she finds a way into the vault, its contents will make the Apple seem like a trifling thing.”

“I must go to Ponyville and find the vault,” Octavia said. “What of the rest of you?”

“We will do what we do best,” Night Glider said. “Stir up some trouble in the city, giving you the freedom to conduct your search.”

“Just let me know when you are ready, nipota,” Fluttershy said. Octavia nodded. She needed something before she left though. She opened a hidden door Fluttershy had shown her many years ago and walked into the basement. Inside was a sanctuary for the Assassin's Creed. In the center of the room was a gate. Octavia opened it, and gained access to a set of armor. A set of armor worn by Twilight herself.

“Thank you, Twilight, for this great gift,” Octavia prayed. “May it shield me from my enemies.” Octavia replaced her father's robes for the Robes of Twilight, and set out for Ponyville.