Assassin in Service to the Sun

Once long ago, there was Void, and there was dust. Some of that dust was heavier then the rest, and it drew the lighter dust to it. This made the heavy dust heavier, allowing the heavier dust to draw more dust to it. Gravity. This continued for some time, and the dust ball became denser and denser. Under it's own crushing weight it began to warm, and heated up. Eventually it burned. This was the first fire. The first star. More that just burning dust and gas, the fire was alive.

The star lived for many years, though nopony was alive to count them yet. Yet as all living things must, the star eventually died. It's death scattered dust far and wide. The heavier dust clumped together with the lighter dust, and the cycle began again. A second star was born. It lived and died, more dust scattered. A third star, then a fourth. Thus, as there was a repetition, a cycle with the accumulation of the dust, there was a cycle with the life and death of the stars. There is a cycle to everything.

Time progressed and many stars had lived and died, and the dust and gas had been flung so far that more than one star was born. Countless stars now filled the Void. Around one of these stars, more dust collected. The little ball was too small, and though a fire burned at it's core, it's surface began to cool. This is where we actually begin. Equis. Yet the planet did not develop peacefully, not at first. Smaller rocks and balls of ice orbited it's mother star. Comets and Asteroids, even other planets. A stroke of cosmic bad luck, and a planet, smaller than Equis itself, collided with it. Smashed to smaller peices, gravity drew it back together again, and what remained of the minor planet became the Moon of Equis.

The planet's first conflict now over, the surface could actually cool. Centuries passed, and water came to be, a mix of oxygen and hydrogen that had accumulated in Equis's primitive atmosphere. From the water, the rocks of Equis, and a hint of magic. Life began. Small, microscopic at first, but life began to evolve. Millennia passed. Life thrived. Some creatures were agile and sly. Others moved slow and deliberately. Some built empires, while some were content to live in the mud. Fish became amphibians, amphibians became reptiles and reptiles became birds and mammals.

Dragons evolved from reptiles. Griffins evolved from birds. Ponies are definitely mammals.

You might not recognize the planet as it is now, versus how it was all that time ago. From dust and gas to a livable planet. Nothingness to what is now Equestria. I marvel at this fact. We have achieved so much, yet we mean so little in the grand scheme of everything. Equis could be snuffed out, and it would mean nothing. I find some comfort in this. I do not know why.

Princess Celestia put down her quill with a huff. That sounded far too depressing. She tapped he chin with her hoof, lost in thought.

How ever, It has become very apparent we are not the only speck of dust dancing on the great stage of reality. Nor is this even the only stage.

Meh, a bit too poetic, but the metaphor works. Celestia thought to herself. At least this somewhat explained where he had come from. As far as the Princess of the Sun knew, he most definitely had not evolved on Equis. Were there more of his kind out there? Princess Celestia shuddered at the thought. He has a brilliant mind, she had seen him take that weapon of his apart to either clean or repair on multiple occasions. The way he moved was if he was half discoving something new, yet with the same instinctual familiarity a baby bird knows of flight. If only he put his talents into something other than-...

He poked his head into the Princess's room. "What are you up to?" His face twisting into a semi-friendly smile.

"Oh, Toland! You startled me!" Princess Celestia said. She quietly hid the paper she had been writing on.

This Human had become both a great asset, and a terrible curse. Even with only basic descriptions of what his kind were capable, in the five years Toland had been in Equestria his advice on technological advancement had allowed ponies to develop new medical and mechanical wonders they had yet to dream of.

Toland had given Princess Celestia his knife. "This is both a promise and a favor," he had said. "I shall not harm anything with out that knife. However, history can be changed with nothing but a single flick of a blade, and I can assure that one day my skills and service will be required." Princess Celestial shuddered at the memory.

"When you need a favor, give me the knife back, and I will do whatever you ask." He had said, smiling like the devil himself.

It hadn't made any sense. He had asked for nothing in return. Even more mind boggling was the fact that he had quickly adapted to a domestic life. At her request, he had stayed in Canterlot so she could keep him in check. Yet there was nothing. Every day he woke up, went to work repairing things, and was back at Canterlot castle for dinner. It was if he had forgotten the offer he had made. To think that he had so casually offered to kill for her. It chilled her to the core.

"Is there a reason your here?" The Princess asked.

"There are some things I must see, things I must do." He whispered. "Oh! You must of meant why am I in the room."

Princess Celestial looked at him, puzzled for a moment.

"The cook said the dinner would be done in ten minutes or so. Figured I would let you know." He laughed. As he turned to leave, Celestia shook her head. Under that friendly face, was there really the heart of a killer?