Pony's Creed 2

The next morning, Cloudchaser and the cloaked stallion met their allies in the city square. Two mares walked up to Cloudchaser and the cloaked stallion. Unknown to them, Octavia was perched in the shadows above.

“Buon giorno, cousin,” one of the mares said. “Signora Chaser.”

“We thought Diamond Tiara would be with you,” the cloaked stallion said.

“Diamond Tiara is dead,” the mare said.

“What!?” the stallion cried. “How?”

“The Assassin,” Cloudchaser realized. “The same one who hunted down the Lulamoons. She is here, in Canterlot!”

“È così,” the mare said. “Flash, did you not know? She could be anywhere. She could be here right now and we may not even know. She struck Diamond Tiara inside her own Palazzo!”

“So, what of our plans?” Flash Sentry wondered.

“There is no longer time for subtlety, my siblings,” the mare said. “We must act now.”

“But Starlight,” Cloudchaser argued. “I'm so close. A few more days, if I can just...”

“No,” Starlight Glimmer firmly said. “It happens this week.”

“We should keep moving,” the mare next to Starlight suggested. The four ponies walked off, and Octavia tailed them. The four stopped in a shadowed corner. Octavia saw Celestia enter the group.

“Enough of your inane prattle!” she stormed.

“Forgive us, Maestra,” Starlight apologized. “We wish only to serve.”

“The plan is this,” Celestia said. “Doge Flitter will die tonight. And once the deed is done, Starlight will take her place.” Starlight Glimmer bowed.

“Vi ringrazio umilmente, Maestra,” she said.

“Good,” Celestia nodded. She turned to Cloudchaser. “Messera Chaser,” she said. “You are closest to Flitter. Your work, the most vital. Serve us well, and it won't be forgotten. Walk with me.” The group of Templars walked off, and Octavia once again followed.

“Forgive me, Maestra,” Starlight Glimmer said. “But is this not a tad dangerous for you, involving yourself so intimately with the minutiae of our plans?”

“I feel the need to involve myself more directly,” Celestia said. “The Lulamoons disappointed us. I pray you will not do the same.”

“Do not worry this time,” Flash assured. “The Lulamoons were a bunch of foolish...”

“The Lulamoons were a potent and venerable family,” Celestia said.  “Reduced to rubble by one young Assassin. Do not underestimate this troublesome foe who now haunts your city, or the same fate will befall your family. I want this done promptly. Bene, I must return to Ponyville. Time is of the essence. Do not fail us.” The ponies bowed as Celestia left. Octavia walked back to the Palazzo della Seta, where the thieves had made their new home. Pumpkin Cake met Octavia there.

“Salute, bello mio,” Pumpkin Cake said. “Come stai? You back to see me already?”

“Desolato, mia cara,” Octavia said. “But I am not here to play. I must speak with Lightning Dust. It's urgent.”

“Lightning Dust!” Pumpkin Cake called. “Octavia's here!” Lightning Dust came down to the courtyard.

“Octavia,” she cried. “Is everything alright?”

“Silver Spoon and her family are in league with the one they call The Alicorn. They are going to murder the Doge, and replace her with one of their own. They will have all of Canterlot, and an entire fleet in their grasp.”

“And they call me a criminal,” Lightning Dust grumbled.

“Then you'll help me?” Octavia hoped.

“You have me on your side, sister,” Lightning Dust agreed. “And the support of all my stallions.”

“And mares,” Pumpkin Cake added.

“Grazie, amici,” Octavia thanked.

“But Octavia,” Lightning Dust warned. “I must warn you. It's not going to be so easy this time. Palazzo Ducale is the most heavily guarded building in Canterlot.”

“Nothing is impenetrable,” Octavia said. Pumpkin Cake laughed.

“This is why we like you, Octavia,” she said.

“Come,” Lightning Dust said. “Let's go take a look. We'll come up with a plan.” Lightning Dust and Octavia walked off to the Palazzo Ducale and began a search of how to get inside. After searching from every possible angle, Lightning Dust gave up.

“It's impossible,” she muttered. She kicked a rock away, scaring off some birds. There's no way in or out for ponies. Not even Pegasi. Only birds.”

“Yes,” Octavia realized. “Birds.” She started to walk off.

“Where are you going now?” Lightning Dust asked.

“To see my friend Applebloom,” Octavia replied. She ran off to Applebloom's workshop. She knocked on the door and walked inside. Applebloom was working on something on her desk.

“I need your help, Appleblooom,” Octavia said. “Does it work?”

“What?” Applebloom asked. “What are you asking?”

“Does it work, Applebloom,” Octavia repeated, pointing to the bat shaped device. “Can it really fly?”

“I don't know,” Applebloom shrugged. “It's only a prototype. An idea. It's not ready yet.”

“Have you tried it?” Octavia asked.

“No,” Applebloom suddenly said, backing up a bit. “It's too dangerous. To test it, you'd have to leap off a tower. Now who would be mad enough to do a thing like that?”

“Applebloom,” Octavia smirked. “I think you've just found your mad mare.” Applebloom got the device and she and Octavia climbed to the top of a tall tower.

“So,” Octavia said. “How does she work?”

“Have you ever watched a bird in flight?” Applebloom asked. “It's not about being lighter than air. It's about raise, and balance. You must use your body's own weight to control your elevation and direction. Good luck, Octavia.” Octavia climbed into the machine and jumped off the balcony. She did what Applebloom had said, but there wasn't much control in the device.

“Why am I crashing?” Octavia cried to herself. “This is ridiculous. The Palazzo's too far away. Diavolo! I give up. I'm going to kill myself before I end up killing another Templar.” Octavia crashed into the hard dirt and met back up with Applebloom.

“I can't believe it!” Applebloom cried. “It worked! It really worked! You flew, Octavia! You flew!”

“Si,” Octavia grunted. “But not very far.”

“Well, what were you expecting?” Applebloom asked. “The machine wasn't designed for distance. All right, look. I'll go over my plans. Maybe I can find a way to extend the duration of the flight.” Applebloom walked back to her plans and looked them over. Lightning Dust suddenly ran into the room.

“Octavia,” she cried. “My ponies tell me Silver Spoon has the poison. We must hurry.”

“Lightning Dust,” Octavia said. “This is Applebloom. The master inventor who built this...this pezzo di merda.”

“Hey!” Applebloom stormed. “It's not the machine's fault. It's mine. I've checked and rechecked my blueprints. It's just impossible! I don't know how to extend the flight! Ah, che idea del cazzo!” Applebloom threw a piece of crumpled up paper into the fire and sat down. Octavia and Lightning Dust looked on in regret. Applebloom stared at the fire, and suddenly saw the paper she had thrown in floating in the flame.

“Eureka!” she cried. “Of course! Genio!” She jumped up and ran to her plans.

“What is she doing now?” Lightning Dust asked. Octavia shrugged.

“Heat rises,” Applebloom said. “It needs fire. Heated air under its wings will lift the machine.”

“Applebloom,” Octavia said. “What good is one fire going to do?”

“Not one fire, Octavia,” Applebloom corrected. “A dozen. Built all across the city. Enough to carry you all the way to the Palazzo Ducale.”

“How?” Lightning Dust asked. She walked over and looked at the new plans. “Ah,” she said. “Capisco. My ponies could do that. But you're forgetting about the guards.”

“Don't worry,” Octavia assured. “I will take care of them.”

“I'll give the order to have my ponies move in behind you and hold the locations,” Lightning Dust said. “They'll light them the second the sun goes down over the district.” Octavia immediately got to work. She traveled to the designated areas and cleared them out. The thieves followed, setting up the fires. When the job was done, Octavia met back up with Lightning Dust and Applebloom on the tower. The group waited for the sun to go down, and when it did, the fires were lit.

“It is time,” Lightning Dust said. Applebloom marveled at the chain of fires.

“You did it,” she said. “It's beautiful.”

“Si,” Lightning Dust responded. “Now let's hope you're idea works, because we're nearly out of time.”

“Listen close, Octavia,” Applebloom said. “You're going to want to fly from fire to fire. The heat of each one you pass over should lift you back up in the air.”

“Bene,” Octavia said.

“Careful, though,” Lightning Dust warned. “There's archers up on the roofs tonight. Avoid those arrows, or it will be a short trip.”

“I wish there was some way to use my sword while flying this thing,” Octavia complained. Applebloom chuckled.

“Well, you do have your back hooves free,” she said. “If you manage to get close enough without taking an arrow to the head, maybe you could kick them off the building.”

“Nice,” Octavia grinned.

“It's now or never, amico mio” Lightning Dust said. Octavia got into the flying machine and jumped. A guard on a rooftop panicked.

“Ma cosa?!” he cried. “Shoot! Shoot the flying demon!” The guards on the rooftops took aim and fired on Octavia, who skillfully dodged each arrow. Applebloom's plan worked to perfection, as the rising air from the flame rose Octavia higher into the air. Octavia flew over Canterlot to the Palazzo Ducale. A flaming arrow struck the left wing on the flying machine, and Octavia glided down to the Palazzo roof. She dropped and let the machine go. It flew out of control, knocking a guard off the roof before landing in the river, steam hissing. Doge Flitter walked over to her window and looked out.

“What was that?” she wondered out loud.

“Don't worry,” Cloudchaser said. “Probably just colts with firecrackers. Come. It's your move.” She and Flitter were playing a game of chess. Flitter took one last look out the window before walking back to the table. Octavia carefully ventured through the Palazzo Ducale, being cautious not to be seen. She noticed a guard that would not leave his area, so she snuck up behind him and stabbed him with her hidden blade. She walked into the room where Flitter and Cloudchaser were. Flitter was about to take a sip of her poisoned drink.

“Stop!” Octavia cried. “Signora, don't drink that!”

“You are too late,” Silver Spoon said, standing up. “The Doge is dead.” She knocked over Flitter's king chess piece to make a point.

“What?” Flitter gasped. “Chaser...”

“Apologies, Signora,” Cloudchaser said. “But you should have listened to me when you had the chance. It seems you have failed, Assassin.” Cloudchaser ran out of the room. Flitter dropped her cup and clutched her gut.

“Forgive me, Signora,” Octavia begged. “I tried.”

“Why?” Flitter asked. “What was it all for?” She suddenly began to cough up blood. Octavia ran after Cloudchaser, who called to the guards.

“Assassino!” she cried. “Assassino! She killed the Doge! The Doge is dead!” Octavia spotted Cloudchaser below a balcony. Octavia jumped off the ledge, falling toward Cloudchaser. She opened her hidden blade mid fall and pierced Cloudchaser's neck. Cloudchaser was brought to the ground.

“It takes one Assassin to kill another, it seems,” Octavia said.

“We kill thinking it's best for us,” Cloudchaser gasped. “Do we not, Messera Octavia?”

“I do this not for myself,” Octavia grumbled as Cloudchaser died. “Compio questo sacrificio per il bene superiore. Requiescat in Pace.” Octavia laid Cloudchaser 's body on the ground and walked away.