Pony's Creed 2

Octavia walked up to Rarity, who was standing at the edge of a bridge, overlooking the sea. Rarity began to tell a story from her fillyhood.

“When I was six years old,” Rarity began. “I fell into the ocean. I soon found myself drifting down, and into darkness, certain my life was at an end. Instead, I woke to the sound of my mother weeping. At her side stood a stranger, soaking, and smiling at me. My mother explained that he had saved me. And so began a long and prosperous relationship between two families. Yours, and mine. I am sorry I could not save your father, sister, and brother.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,”Octavia explained. “I believe Pinkamena de Lulamoon played a part in their deaths. And in the attack on you as well. I need to find her.”

“That coward fled before we could arrest her,” Rarity said.

“Have you any leads?” Octavia asked.

“No,” Rarity regretted. “They've hidden themselves well.”

“They?” Octavia wondered.

“Pinkamena was not the only conspirator to escape,” Rarity explained.

“If they were with Pinkamena, they were definitely involved in the plot against my family as well,” Octavia assumed. “Give me their names.” Rarity began listing the names of the criminals.

“Bon Bon, Cloudkicker, Thunderlane, and Minuette.”

“Bene,” Octavia said. “I will go see my aunt. She has her mares stationed in the countryside.” Octavia turned to leave, but Rarity stopped her.

“Wait,” Rarity said. “Before you go...” she gave Octavia a scroll.

“Another codex page!” Octavia exclaimed.

“I took it from the files of Amethyst de Lulamoon,” Rarity said. “Seeing as she clearly no longer needs it. I've always had an interest in things of antiquity. As did your father.”

“It's meaningful to me as well,” Octavia explained.

“Then consider it a gift,” Rarity said. She put a hoof on Octavia's shoulder. “Che il Signore ci protegga.” Octavia left Baltimare and ran to Appleloosa. When she reached town, she walked into Fluttershy's study.

“Octavia!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “Come in, come in! To what do we owe the honor?”

“I've been sent from Baltimare by La Magnifica to attend to some unfinished business,” Octavia explained. “I'm looking for Pinkamena de Lulamoon.”

“Ha!” Fluttershy laughed. “Who isn't? We've been at it for days.”

“Perhaps what I carry will help us both,” Octavia suggested. “A list of her co-conspirators. One of them will talk before she dies.”

“Excellent,” Fluttershy said. “These mares are sure to lack Pinkamena's resources. Which means they will be easier to find. I will put my scouts to it at once.”

“I appreciate the help, Fluttershy,” Octavia thanked. “I've got something else for you as well. More codex pages.” Octavia gave her retrieved pages to Fluttershy.

“Ah,” Fluttershy said, opening up a page. “Let us see what we can learn.” She looked over the page. “What is this?” she questioned. “What prophet?”

“What did you find, Fluttershy?” Octavia asked.

“Just another damn mystery,” Fluttershy grumbled. “The text here roughly translates to “...only the prophet may open it...” There's reference to two pieces of Eden, but these pages offer no answers, nipota. At least not on their own. You must find more.”

“We'll have to save it for another day, Fluttershy,” Octavia said. “I have a mission to attend to.” Octavia left the Villa and traveled to the first location. She found one of Fluttershy's scouts near an abbey.

“Ah, there you are,” the scout said. “Listen, we found Thunderlane. Just follow this road and it will take you to the abbey where he's taken refuge.” Octavia followed the path and walked into the abbey. She found Thunderlane, disguised among the priests. Octavia slowly approached him from behind. She extended her hidden blade and drove it into Thunderlane's back. She lay him down on the concrete.

“Now I will see who was right,” he gasped.

“Where is Pinkamena?” Octavia demanded.

“Nothing to fear, I suppose,” Thunderlane said. “They meet in the shadow of the Equestrian gods.” With that, Thunderlane died.

“Ora sei libero dalla paura,” Octavia said. “Requiescat in pace.” Octavia traveled on to the next scout. She found him near a villa.

“Over here, Octavia!” the scout called. “We found Cloudkicker. She's barricaded herself inside that villa.” Octavia nodded and headed toward the villa, along with some mercenaries the scout had lended to her. She killed the archers, scaled the wall, and was immediately met with a host of guards lead by Cloudkicker. She quickly opened the gate to let the mercenaries in.

“You Templars,” Octavia sighed. “Always singing the same song.”

“You think a few mercenari will scare me?” Cloudkicker asked.

“They should,” Octavia taunted. She killed some guards, and left the rest to the mercenaries. She confronted Cloudkicker, sword drawn.

“Shall I send your remains to that ubriacone, Fluttershy?” Cloudkicker asked. “Ha! What's the point? There won't be anything left of you to recognize.”

“It's quite a plan you have,” Octavia said. “Spouting nonsense while you send these other mares to die.”

“I am a reasonable mare,” Cloudkicker said. “What say you to this? Turn back now and I'll call off my mares.”

“Sorry, friend,” Octavia said. “You are on my list. You're fate is sealed.”

“Tear her limb from limb!” Cloudkicker cried to her guards. While Cloudkicker was yelling, Octavia ran up from behind and ran her through with the hidden blade. She brought Cloudkicker's body to the floor.

“Where is Pinkamena?” Octavia demanded.

“She knows you come for her,” Cloudkicker managed. “She is merging only in darkness to meet with the others.”

“That answers when,” Octavia said. “Now tell me where.” Cloudkicker died before she could answer. “La fede dovrebbe dare confroto, non pena,” Octavia prayed. “Requiescat in Pace.” Octavia left the villa with the rest of the mercenaries. She let them go back to Fluttershy while she went on. She found the next scout in the city of Dodge Junction.

“Octavia!” The scout cried. “About time you got here. We've found Minuette.”

“Ottima notizia!” Octavia said. “Tell me where she is and I'll see that she's dealt with.”

“That's the trouble,” the scout regretted. “Rarity actually had her arrested days ago, after being returned to us from Vanhoover. But she escaped. We believe her to be somewhere inside Dodge Junction.”

“Va bene,” Octavia said. “I'll see if I can't pin her down.”

“How do you expect to succeed where the rest of us have failed?” the scout doubted.

“I have my ways,” Octavia grinned. She climbed up onto a rooftop to see her surroundings. Using her senses, she pinpointed Minuette among a crowd. When Octavia walked onto the edge of a wooden beam, she was directly above Minuette. She readied her hidden blade, then jumped. The blade pierced through Minuette's neck. Octavia rolled Minuette over to speak.

“I knew you would come,” Minuette gasped.

“Where is Pinkamena?” Octavia demanded.

“So you can do to her what you've done to me?” Minuette asked.

“There is still time for you to clear your conscience,” Octavia reminded.

“We gather at the church,” Minuette said. “When a meeting is called.”

“Mi duole dover giungere a tanto,” Octavia said. “Requiescat in Pace.” She lay down Minuette's body and found the final scout in a corner of Dodge Junction.

“Salute, Octavia!” the scout exclaimed. “Bon Bon has sought refuge atop the city's highest structure, spouting scripture and arrows in equal measure. The mare has clearly lost her mind. Making matters worse, she's posted archers all around her. You'd do well to clear them out before approaching.”

“Grazie for the information,” Octavia thanked. She jumped for the roofs. She took out the archers with ease, then began to climb the Dodge Junction clock tower. As she got closer to the top, she could hear Bon Bon's words more clearly. Bon Bon was speaking of the evils of the land, and how following her would make everything better. Octavia reached the top of the tower and climbed on. She kicked out Bon Bon's back hoof and used her hidden blade to stab Bon Bon in the neck.

“Away with you, demon,” Bon Bon cursed.

“Have some respect for death, my friend,” Octavia said.

“I'll show you respect…!” Bon Bon threatened.

“No,” Octavia said. “I will. Che tu possa alfine trovare riposo nel corpo e nella mente. Requiescat in Pace.” She left Bon Bon's body on the tower and stood on the edge. She looked down and saw a pile of hay to jump into. Before she did, Octavia took a good look at Dodge Junction's cityscape. She liked the view. Octavia took the leap of faith. She fell into the pile of hay without any injury and got out. She climbed onto a roof to find Pinkamena. She found her exit the nearby church.

“If I can stay my blade long enough to follow her,” Octavia thought. “She'll lead me to her Templar sisters, and I'll have more names for my list.” Octavia followed Pinkamena out of the city, while talking to herself.

“Your letter mentioned Canterlot,” Octavia remembered. “Are there Templars there as well?” Octavia followed Pinkamena to a small pit, housing the ruins of a temple. More Templars were there, including Celestia.

“How many mares are responsible for my father's death?” Octavia wondered. She hid behind a pillar to listen to the meeting.

“I am sorry, Maestra,” Pinkamena apologized. “I did all I could, but the Assassin proved too strong.”

“Clearly,” Celestia growled. “As the others would be here with you. Say nothing of the fact that Baltimare remains in La Moda hooves.”

“It's Amethyst's fault,” Pinkamena blamed. “Her impatience made her reckless. I tried to be the voice of reason.”

“More like the voice of cowardice,” Raindrop said.

“You're one to talk, Sinora Raindrop,” Pinkamena scoffed. “Had you sent us quality weapons instead of this garbage your mares call armaments,...”

“Enough!” Celestia yelled. “We put our faith in your family, and you repay us with inaction and incompetence!? Then when asked to account for your failures, you make excuses, and insult us!? How do you expect me to respond?”

“I don't know,” Pinkamena quietly said.

“It's all right,” Celestia assured, putting a hoof on Pinkamena's shoulder. “I do.” She took out a knife and stabbed Pinkamena in the gut. Pinkamena fell to her knees.

“No,” she gasped. “Please. Don't.” Raindrop laughed.

“Please don't what?” she asked. She pushed Pinkamena to the ground. Pinkamena begged for mercy.

“I can...fix this,” she stammered. “Only...spare me.” Celestia drew her sword.

“No,” she said coldly. She ran the blade through Pinkamena's neck. Pinkamena stopped struggling. “What a mess,” Celestia grumbled. She sheathed her sword. “So sorry to have claimed your prize, Assassin,” she called. Two guards grabbed Octavia and dragged her before Celestia.

“Did you honestly think I would not expect you to follow?” Celestia asked. “That I didn't plan for it? We've been at this a lot longer than you.  Kill her.”

“I know you're only doing as you're told,” Octavia reasoned with the guards. “So if you release me, I will spare your lives.” The guards laughed, lowering their watch. Octavia stabbed them simultaneously with her twin hidden blades, killing them. Heavily armored guards surrounded Octavia. She fought and killed them all without breaking a sweat. She walked over to Pinkamena's gasping body to end her suffering. Octavia stabbed her blade into Pinkamena's throat.

“Vai, amico, libero da fardelli e paure,” Octavia prayed. “Requiescat in pace.”