Author's Note

Finally finished this chapter not a lot of time to write in the last 6 months but now that I'm settled in the chapters shall return. once again a thanks to my readers and my editors.

Chapter 18 Puppets & Puppeteers

Chapter 18

Puppets and Puppeteers

Minuette made her way to the Canterlot University Campus. She almost breezed past the reception pony as she worked, her eyes downcast, not giving the mare who frequented the office a second thought. "He is in, miss."

Minuette stopped and looked to the mare, she found herself relaxing at those words, her brooding mood ebbing away, since she left the table thankful for the relief it brought. "Thank you, Phantasia,"

The midnight blue Pegasus smiled before returning to her tasks at hand.

Minuette opened the door to see Master Facade. He looked up from his desk looking as though the stallion hadn't slept a wink all night even still he smiled at her. "Minuette what brings you to my door with such a gloomy face?"

As Minuette crossed the room, it was then the scent of Zap-Apple hit Master Facade’s nose. As she spoke, the dam of emotion broke, and she slowly fell apart with each step she took. "I haven't seen Silvermane, and he hasn't written or even came back to me. I fear another mare may have poached him. My mother is threatening to stop my stipend. I find out my sister is banging a science project that somepony made an ambassador. He isn't even a pony!" she scoffed before continuing. "A flat-faced 'human'," she said mockingly, making air quotes. "I feel genuinely skittish when I get near him; I don't know why. But I feel genuinely terrified when I lock eyes with him," She said as she gave a soft pant at the end of her rant before wiping a hand over her face and looking to Master Facade apologetically. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to unload these problems on you, but I had nowhere else to turn."

Master Facade sat in shocked silence as he was told the events of the afternoon by one of his students who had quickly become his best eyes and ears even if she didn't know it. Master Facade listened with intent before licking the tips of his fingers and tracing them along his eyebrows. The gesture was a tick he used to draw attention away from the fact he would have to stare at students for a few moments to allow his ESP to comb over the student's mind. His students found it odd, but he always knew what to say to calm them down.

Master Facade’s ignored the other thoughts and feelings in the room for they were brooding and angered about being interrupted and needing to hide in the nearby corner like a common criminal. He focused in on his student. To both his shock and his terror he saw the very creature that had assaulted him.

If he were any other being in this pastel world of ponies, he would be sweating bullets, but his poker face never wavered. He kept up his act as his ESP took a more in-depth look into the mare's thoughts. She was terrified of him, and upon hearing his name as Braxton Zeddmore, she had valid and legitimate grounds to be concerned—as did the one sulking in the corner, to say nothing of himself.

The one's thoughts in the corner were growing impatient with waiting, and Master Facade decided to get rid of Minuette, as most of her concerns were on the worthless stallion he had killed. So he decided to get rid of Minuette for the time being.

Clearing his throat as he spoke to her in a soft understanding tone placing a hand on the seated mare's shoulder "Oh dear mare, has none told you?"

"Told me what, Master Facade?" Minuette asked her exasperation turning to worry as she looked to her

"I am sorry, dear mare, it is not my place to tell you. Have you visited his parents to hear from them?"

"He hardly ever spoke of them. Where do they live?"

"They live here in Canterlot, on Sunset Way. Their estate is not easy to miss."

"Did something happen to my colt friend?!"

"Minuette, it is not my place to tell you. Please, go see his parents," Facade replied setting his hands on her shoulders to calm the mare as she was getting worked up.

The calming gesture worked, and Minuette stood up. "Thank you, Professor. I will go see his parents." Worry washed over her features, hoping her colt friend had not hurt himself, or she hoped he was not involved in some weather accident.

Once the mare was out of his mane Master Facade turned back toward the window. He rubbed his muzzle with an exasperated sigh of frustration. He made sure that the news of Silvermane’s death reached the colt’s parents today as he assumed the look of a royal guard mare and delivered the report himself, arriving back minutes before Minuette came calling to his office. She was interrupting his somewhat clandestine meeting with a stallion from the House of Diamonds. Even in death, that useless colt was still making trouble for him.

Mystic Haze threw back the hood on his Invisibility Cloak, breaking its concealment and allowing him to be visible once more, allowing Master Facade to see the scowl on his face. "About time you got rid of that mare. Now before we were interrupted, my mistress wishes the ledger she wanted you to cook returned to her."

"Your Mistress will have to wait for it, Mystic Haze. Complications have arisen and if I choose to sit on that ledger for a year or two to see to it that attention is fixated elsewhere I shall," Master Facade replied flatly not looking to the stallion who scowled at his back

"A year or two?! What type of madness is that-" Mystic Haze asked before Master Facade turned on him, cutting him off and looking right through him.

"The kind of reasoning that says we are playing the long game for our goals, not rushed as if we are out to get caught. Sacrificing your organization's work and throwing it away. After all, how would they treat the House of Diamonds if they found it was their ineptitude that jeopardized three centuries worth of work?" Master Facade hissed leaning on his desk punching a hole in the enthusiasm of the effeminate stallion who cowed back and averted his gaze.

"You have a point. They would eradicate us to the last pony as punishment," Mystic Haze said as he began to mill over what Facade had told him. "You spoke of a complication. What is it? Do the others need to know?"

"The complication is a man...a human it would be wise to inform them...but do NOT act against this creature. He is evil in a way that would pale even your worst nightmares," Facade said running his hand through his mane.

"Hold on, are you talking of the new Equestrian ambassador that is currently at the castle under Celestia's protection and hospitality?" Mystic Haze asked before waving dismissively. "The assassin that killed my daughter easily enough could kill him, and I must say it was a stroke of brilliance for us to spin the disgrace into a tragedy," a smug smile of confidence coming to his face as he straightened himself back up nobly.

"Allow me to help you see the perspective of the storm cloud you are kicking before you task that assassin. Do you have an elite standing fighting force? Are you prepared to see your home and all that your House and the other Houses in cooperation with you become smoldering craters in the equestrian landscape? Your loved ones placed on pikes to rot in the open air? If you answered 'yes' then please, by all means, send an assassin that is foredoomed to fail!" Master Facade spoke in a seething whisper hoping it would mask the fear in his voice knowing that the human was none other than Braxton Zeddmore.

Whatever confidence that Mystic Haze was gathering up seemed to die as he looked to the desk like it was in front of him. "No pony is THAT cruel!"

"Then Pray to all Celestia and Luna that you never call a War Mage of the first rank and file to action especially if you piss him off," Master Facade deadpanned.

"Warmage? First Rank and File? Stallion you talk nonsensical-" Mystic Haze once more started but was cut off as he locked eyes with Master Facade as he spoke calmly to Mystic Haze.

"Inform those who you must," Mystic Haze nodded once as Master Facade spoke calm cool and collected.

"Do nothing against this stallion." Another nod as Master Facade continued.

"Tell your mistress that the ledger will be back in her possession when I feel it is safe to move it," Mystic haze nodded once more.

"Good colt. Now leave the way you came," Master Facade finished letting his spell sink into the stallion.

Mystic Haze put up his hood and vanished leaving Master Facade in his office alone for the time being as he muttered to himself what an ignorant jackass

With the actual problem out of his mane, his thoughts once more came back to Silvermane wishing he could kill the worthless stallion again for falling in love with his target. He had one damn job to get the book he described to Master Facade away from Minuette and her sister before it could give up its secrets. But no, he had to go and fall in love with the fucking horse.

The Crown Jewel of the Desert landed soundlessly in the courtyard, its passengers stepping off before Braxton shrunk it back to the size of a handkerchief.

"There you are. You two great timing. Celestia would like to see you two as soon as we found you. She will be in the dignitaries chamber," Star Song called out seeing the pair as they landed, and she saw the rug vanish back into her employers pocket she shook her head with a smile.

"We had best not keep our hostess waiting for us dear," Lyra said with a breathless shiver as Braxton playfully traced the outside of one of her ears with a finger from behind her. The pair made their way to the diplomatic chamber, were Celestia received dignitaries of foreign countries. The pair of guards outside spotted the two as they came into view. Thunderhoof smiled as he opened the door for both of them and gave a salute. Braxton returned the salute in kind, as they walked in. Lyra let Braxton go in first before she walked in falling behind him a little to allow him to do so.

"If I may ask Lyra why did you come in behind me? The door was wide enough for us to enter together," Braxton asked curiosity in his voice as she linked her arm through his.

"Well I am a mare of manners stallions first after all," she smiled warmly to him. "Though it’s also a pony tradition that the lead mare go through the door last to show her importance, and to show she is the tie that holds her herd together."

"Interesting," Braxton replied thoughtfully.

Celestia cleared her throat drawing the pair out of their world. "Welcome you two, please sit down," she said motioning to the seats near a table and a mountain of papers.

As both sat down Braxton cringed inwardly he hated bureaucracy this was going to suck.
"I figured it was time to lay out the duties and responsibilities expected of an ambassador, and at least get the paperwork started to cover our tails should the nobility make a point to cause trouble," Celestia began.

Braxton looked over the paperwork as Celestia continued to speak. "here is also a reclamation deed for the land that Granny Smith bequeathed to you, and that also must be signed as well.”

Picking up the duties contract, Braxton read it over carefully. The points were pretty straight forward. Attend at least two sessions every three full moons, establish an embassy, open a line of financial credit to allow trade, and attend every Grand Galloping Gala.

"If I may ask a few questions, Princess, on the matter of this contract how often do you hold your sessions?" Braxton asked looking over to Celestia.

"We meet for a total of one hundred and thirty-eight days of the year," Celestia remarked seeing Lyra was at a loss and looking over her paperwork as well.

As Celestia was helping Lyra with her paperwork Braxton drew her attention by asking, "Would this be enough to start a line of credit?” Braxton placed five pieces of Electrum down on the table. “Also, could I build both my home and embassy upon the land that Vicereine Granny Smith bequeathed to me?"

"More than enough, and yes you can. It would kill two birds with one stone," Celestia said keeping her attention divided between the two as they each covered the long trail of paperwork that lay before them.

The tedium of the paperwork had lasted until sundown. As the trio made to retire for the night, Braxton's bodyguards returned from their errand of depositing the coins and spending time together as a herd while Braxton and Lyra were preoccupied, and were in good spirits when they met him for what he had set aside for them.

As the six drew near Braxton's room, he caught sight of Marchello leaning up outside of his open door. The next thing that drew the attention of the six was a sight that most mares say 'you don't see that every day.' An embarrassed well-dressed earth pony dragging a surprised and provocatively clothed unicorn in a mini skirt and no panties out into the hallway by her tail.

Vinyl for her part had been taken by surprise when she thought the ambassador had grabbed her flagged tail. The double take of this was that he was pulling her out of the room. She wanted him to see her sex and her winking clit. When he opened the door quite a turn on in her mind, she gave an eep as she turned to see the embarrassed face of her sister and her butt hit the cold stone floor she shot to her hooves, abandoning the comforted in her grip.

"Vinyl! Come on you undersexed mare; our sister will kill us if she finds us here! To say nothing of the guards if they see us here without permission!" Octavia signed frantically looking down the hall and then straight into the faces of the five ponies and one human she didn't want to see.

"...hell...uck," Vinyl said as she looked into the group after following her sister's gaze.

Lyra's ears cocked as she inadvertently pulled Braxton closer to her and gave a hand gesture to Vinyl that conveyed one word to her. "Mine!" As the blush rose up her cheeks from being so embarrassed she looked to her other sister and said, "My room now you two!"

Octavia sighed, and as one hand took Marchello, the other reached out and took Vinyl by the collar as she tried to weasel out of the chewing out she more than rightly earned. As Octavia passed Braxton, she looked to him and said "Sorry about this."

Lyra gave Braxton a small peck on the cheek once the pair of mares were in her room. Despite her embarrassment, her tone was a mix of anger as well as hurt. "I have to take care of this before it becomes a real problem."

Braxton smiled softly to her. "Just don't alienate her, dear." His hand caressed her cheek softly as she leaned into the gentle touch. By Celestia, she loved when he did that it was like water to a parched plant and she loved every moment of it before she drew away and entered her room and slammed the door.

At the same moment the other four mares whom were in horribly concealed stages of mirth lost it.

The Celestial Mercy Orphanage was the first thing in Master Facades ledger that caught Braxton's eye to investigate. HIs thoughts drifted back to the pages of the book a roster of banks, orphanages, and hospitals. He would have to make a note to check each out with the help of his guards.

Returning to the present Braxton rested on a rooftop like a gargoyle, his attention drawn away from his task by the sound of hooves lightly touching down on the roof behind him.

"You know stud, thankfully we see as well as we hear or we might have missed you," Twinkle Star cooed playfully as she and Sapphire Moonlight landed behind him.

"Mind if we ask what you're doing up on rooftops at night good ambassador?" Sapphire Moonlight asked in a more serious tone.

"Just out doing some nocturnal sightseeing with a bird's eye view," Braxton said cooly.

"So we don't need to tell your lead mare that we found you going into the red light district?" Twinkle Star teased.

"The what?" Braxton asked confused by the terminology turning to look at the two thestral mares.

"He isn't kidding, Twink," Sapphire moonlight said as she looked to her partner.

Twinkle Star decided to try and rattle this stallions cage a little. She made her way up to Braxton her hips and tail moving back and forth she placed one hand on his chest. looking up to him her large cat-like eyes looking up to him as she cooed, "It’s a place were lead mares sometimes send their stallions to make bits," her hand slid down his chest and gripped his groin. "With their bits."

"would you please leave my testicles alone," Braxton grunted at the firm touch. He had to think fast and get this mare off of him; the message book came to mind. Braxton figured it was time for a test. He reached out behind Twinkle Star and let his fingers lightly drum at the sensitive flight muscles at her back drumming down to the small of her back.

The effect was like throwing gasoline on an open flame. Twinkle Star's bat wings shot straight up quivering in excited shakes, and she opened her hands in shock be a wave of ecstasy washed over her freezing like a statue for a moment before sinking to her knees panting softly.

Braxton stepped around the puddle of a mare and looked to Sapphire Moonlight... who was more in shock than anything else. "Thank you for looking out for my safety. I will see to it Princess Luna knows her guards do a wonderful job." He waved to the pair and with a few well-placed leaps was soon out of sight, swallowed by the shadows.

"Wow did he ever do a number on you Twink," Sapphire Moonlight said as the gift of speech had once more returned to her and she gave Twinkle Star’s wing a playful twang. "Need a change of bottoms after that, little miss hair trigger?" she asked teasingly.

"I so hate you right now, Moonie," Twinkle Star retorted, a heavy blush on her face and the night breeze not helping the dampness between her legs. She sat on the roof with a pout waiting for her wings to go down.

The Celestial Mercy Orphanage lay separated by a park in a rather well-to-do neighborhood. The twin story houses looked both warm and inviting and gave the appearance of a peaceful and comforting place for those without parents or those abandoned to grow up in a place of peace.

Braxton made his way from shadow to shadow stopping when the pair of lunar guards landed at the gate of the orphanage and wrapping on the door.

"Brother, I detect magic," Klynn said softly.

"Show me," Braxton returned the thought.

Braxton felt the pull on his shallow mana pool, but at least he had a little to spare as upon the cobblestones and spaces roughly twenty feet apart runes began to lift and give a soft blue glow at the orphanage’s perimeter.

Braxton studied the runes for a moment as he drew a small crystal prism out of his red belt pouch. As long as he could see them he could read them but was also more startling was the soft blue glow was also coming from window sills as well as doorways.

"Sister I am going to need you to read for me," Braxton thought.

"Way ahead of you brother," Klynn returned as she took another small bit from Braxton's fragile mana pool.

Braxton noticed that the guards had not gone into the parlor area but stayed at the doorway each giving their arms a subconscious rub to chase away the goose flesh as he saw them receive both a sleepy looking colt and filly. It was Pipsqueak and Ice Lilly.

Pipsqueak looked to the two Lunar guards nervously and then to Ice Lilly who bore a smile upon her face, biting her lip as she quietly shed happy tears.

One of the Thestral mares knelt and spoke to the pair of young foals. "Hello you two. I am Lunar Love, and I bring you a message that Princess Luna would like to speak with the two of you."

"Are they in any trouble?" came a mare's voice behind the two children who looked as if she were covering anger before ice lily opened the door.

Braxton eyed the unicorn mare who asked the guards a question, her demeanor while pleasant, belittled the sheer anger she kept in check.

"That is one ugly mare, brother," Klynn commented.

"What do you sense?" Braxton asked.

"she is furious that Ice lilly disobeyed her and wants nothing more than the guards to be gone so she could beat the mare," Klynn voiced with concern.

Braxton let that take a backseat for a moment as he studied the runes on the cobblestones, doorframe, and windowsills. They hid something revealing when he brought the crystal prism to his eye. Two spells: Contingency and Forget.

Breaking the two spells apart was a simple matter. The Contingency spell held that if one dreamed, then the spell Forget would cast within that twenty-foot cube. The Forget spell while being relatively weak would have the effect of one forgetting the last three minutes of whatever the unsuspecting pony dreamed, be it good or bad.

Braxton lowered the crystal from his eye; this was getting strange. "Why would these spells be placed all over the grounds?" Turning to look at the orphanage he made a choice. "Sister we have to get in there and take a look something very strange is going on, and I think it doesn't bode well."

”I agree with your thinking, brother” Kylnn, concurred.

Another set of interesting questions, Braxton thought to himself. "Those spells were in place long before we ever came here. How has our magic made it to this land before our arrival... and who or what is casting them?"

"I do not know brother, but we had better find out." Klynn answered
As Braxton made his way closer to the orphanage, moving from shadow to shadow, he caught sight of Ice Lilly. She seemed to have a smile on her face.

Both Pip and Ice Lilly were ushered away by the Lunarian guard, the two young foals barely containing their excitement over the ‘next new chapter of their lives’ as Ice Lilly had put it.

Melding into a shadow cast by one of the walls of the orphanage, Braxton once more placed the crystal over his eye before trying the window. Just the two spells Contingency and Forget scrawled upon the window sill; no other spells revealed themselves.

Finding the window unlocked, Braxton slowly slid the window up before silently making his way into the orphanage. The room he entered appeared to be an office. An elegant wooden desk chair sat in the center of the room along with several bookshelves mostly containing children's books and one shelf mainly containing financial information there was one doorway leading deeper into the orphanage itself and a strange set of double doors also along the same wall.

Braxton crossed the room to the double doors; he noticed that across the threshold and even on the doors themselves, the same runes marked the wood subtlety. Raising the crystal once more to his eye he found a change in the Contingency spell. This spell's contingency was triggered on if someone was beaten or received any physical trauma. Before the forget spell would activate.

Braxton opened one of the doors peering into a small stone room its stone marked with black patches. Braxton's sense of smell told him there was a lot of blood spilled in this room. Quietly shutting the door Braxton made his way over to the desk. Looking in several of the drawers, they contained little more than what a secretary or bookkeeper would need to do their job. The only thing that stood out was a small hourglass. Taking a quick count Braxton realized this glass could only account for three minutes.

Braxton was in the middle of pondering what use this item would have when his keen hearing caught the sound of approaching hoof falls. Too late to go back out the window, Braxton jumped into the rafters, wrapping himself around one of the support beams.

The unicorn mare that had been talking to Lunarian guard entered the room first. Her body language showing the rage and anger despite her outward appearance of being calm. One step behind her was a young Pegasus colt, his nervous expression showing both in his body language, with twitching wings and his face. His eyes darted from left to right as he chewed on his lip.

“Do you know why I called you here, child?" the unicorn asked her tone calm and collected as she took the hourglass out of her desk drawer.

"No, I don't, Mrs. Gentle Heart," the young Pegasus replied nervously.

Mrs. Gentle Heart turned the hourglass over and lit her horn. Her demeanor completely changed; she looked only young stallion with hatred and contempt. "I am angry because of you worthless bastards defying me at every turn," she roared as she struck the young colt in the body.

The colt reared back from the powerful blow. Mrs. Gentle Heart caught the colt by the flailing arm to keep him from falling to the floor. She struck him twice more, all the while ranting, slapping him across the face, calling him worthless. For nearly two minutes she rained slaps and body blows on the young colt mercilessly.

Mrs. Gentle Heart dragged the near-unconscious colt over near the double doors, the hourglass was almost spent sands nearly gone. She opened the door and threw him in, leaving him sprawled out on the floor, a small pool of blood escaping his mouth from a cut lip, and a small cut on his forehead as his head hit the stone.

The young colt groaned in pain not sure what had happened or when it happened. He looked into the concerned face of Mrs. Gentle Heart who wore a worried expression like a fake mask.

“Child, you really should be more careful; let's get you patched up, that fall was nasty. Now you know why I always make the rule about not running inside," she scolded warmly to him.

The young colt could only nod. His thoughts were hazy; what had happened? He had walked in with Mrs. Gentle Heart and the next thing he knew he was in pain and she was tending to his wounds. A cold chill ran down his spine as the stones worked their magic all he could do in frustration and anxiety was cry.

Mrs. Gentle Heart helped him into a sitting position, her horn gave a pulse, and a small first aid kit popped into existence near her. "Young colts always running around, it must be a boy thing," she said sweetly, surprising herself that she nearly didn't vomit on the words. Her horn gave another soft pulse. "Always running around and you being clumsy, it never ceases to amaze me that you don't trip over your hooves,.

The young colt hugged Mrs. Gentle Heart saying he was sorry and that he wouldn't run inside the orphanage anymore.

Cleaning his wounds, stopping the bleeding, and letting her horn give one last pulse to both summon a few sugary gumdrops and finish the spell as she helped the colt walk out of the room.

When the door closed, she grimaced at her own words as she realized just how vile her own words had been. She made her way over to the bookshelf and pulled a child's book from it.

Braxton's fingers dug into the soft wood of the rafter, his nails becoming long black claws as he watched the events unfold. He shook with rage and wanted nothing more than to end this mare’s life for what she did to the young colt, but he knew if he moved or if one acted rashly, it would tip his hand for what he was trying to accomplish. He hated when he felt helpless despite all his great powers and gifts.

Braxton's patience, thankfully, was rewarded for staying his hand as the mare placed the book upon her desk and sat. She began to write her name within the book. At first, Braxton wondered what she was doing... until text started to answer her.

You have our attention; it better be necessary for your sake, Mrs. Gentle Heart.

A development has occurred I thought you should know about. One of our subjects has left under lunar guard.

That is an important development we definitely needed to know.

Do you think the Royals have become alerted to our presence

No, but it is something that we will look into. Did you press the guards about their business with the test subject?

Tried to, but they were very tight-lipped—they said nothing.

Interesting, we will proceed with caution. Who is the next candidate coming of age?

There are two who show potential.

Good then increase the amount they get in their diets and see to it that no harm comes to them.for your life depends upon it.

It shall be done for we are the power that rules between Sun and Moon.

Powers be between the Sun and the Moon.

Mrs. Gentle Heart closed the book. She hated talking to these ponies. Yes, they had cleaned up many of her messes. Yes, they had hidden her here in the orphanage to run it. But they left her with one very stern warning—kill another, and she would be only a memory. She got up from the desk and opened the window, hoping to let a little breeze in to cool her.

That was the moment Braxton was waiting for. Calling on a little prestidigitation he made the sound of footfalls going down the hall. Mrs. Gentle Heart, hearing them, went to investigate. Braxton dropped down from the rafters and quickly scribed a hasty Wizard's Mark upon the spine of the book before exiting out the window he had come in.

The four mares stood near a bench in the park while they waited for Braxton to return from his end of the assignment. They had been dispatched earlier in the night to spiral out or combing the city from the castle to look for clues as to the whereabouts of the assassin that had managed to turn betrayal into tragedy. There had been some success in that endeavor, for the scouting party found a bloody handprint and evidence that the Pegasus assassin had taken a hit to the wing. For a few more bloodied feathers had been seen as well as the bolt fletching to keep the exit wound from becoming any bigger when they pulled the bolt out — the tracks and clues once the mare became grounded all but vanished once she reached the cobblestone street.

“Do we have any idea where he is?” asked Midnight Aria in an exasperated tone.

“He gave us an order, and that is what we must do,” said Sonnet Sunrise in a soft tone to placate her herd sister.

“I have to agree with Midnight Aria. I don't know where he went, but I do see why he had us work in twos given how you missed the feathers by the trash can,” Honey Song teased Star Song in a mirthful voice.

Star Song gave Honey Song an obscene gesture and crossed her arms in a huff. "I was distracted by the bloody hand print give me a break."

"No sister, I think you were distracted by the mouse," Honey Song said playfully causing the others to giggle.

Braxton arrived after that. "Mares, I'll take your report," he said, causing all of the mares to jump.

"Your lead mare has yet to get that bell for around your neck, hasn't she," Star Song said.

Braxton gave a soft chuckle. "She has yet to get it. Chances are she will tomorrow. But for now, I'll take your report."

Star Song cleared her throat and gave the report. "We found a small mass of feathers and blood in one of the allies near the castle. The assassin must have landed there after climbing down from the roof. It must've been relatively painful due to Shade Dancer’s feather dart in her wing. I say that because we found extra feathers near one of the trash cans in the alley. I also think the assassin may have had help because that type of wound is not one easily reached by a single pony. Our trail went cold when they reached the cobblestones."

"Good work. Can you take me to the alley where you found the blood print?" Braxton asked.

"Yes, it's not far from here actually," Star Song said.

The alley was no different from any other in Canterlot. Garbage cans stood silent watch near their buildings as they collected their refuse. The four mares lead Braxton away from the cobblestone street to the place where they found the bloodied handprint.

"This is where we found it. The assassin must've come in off that roof—you can see where some of the feather molt caught in the shingles," Star song said pointing out the feathers to Braxton.

Braxton looked around and then reached into his belt pouch for a stick of chalk. Braxton began to draw a door on the far wall on a nearby building. "Stay here, girls. I will be back in a moment," he said to them as he stepped into the side of the building as though it had an open door.

The mares were still picking their jaws up off the pavement when he returned carrying a beautiful three-inch sphere of crystal.

"What was that? Where did you go? How did you do that?" Star song asked being the first to shake herself out the sheer surprise she just witnessed.

“A mage has many secrets. You might find them out in time," Braxton said with a wink. "Now then, let's find out what happened here," Braxton said as he began to look into the crystal ball. The other four joined him their curiosity getting the better of them.

Celestia's Sun may have been brightly shining, but thanks to the shadows thrown by the two brick buildings, the warm sunlight hardly touched the ground below. The white pegasus mare in question was thankful for those shadows as she gave a quiet yelp as she felt the steel feather in her wing to be magically recalled back to its owner. Looking over the damage to her wing, she could no longer fly. And she would have to come up with some excuse for her Mistress when she would ask about the injury. She whimpered as she touched the wound in her wings and tried to stop the bleeding. It wouldn't be long. Her master's carriage would park in the front of the alley, she would get in, and she would go back to her life as a cook.

“Coruscant my love are you alright?" asked a concerned and effeminate male voice.

Coruscant jumped she been too focused on trying to heal her wing and get away from the prying eyes of the local guard to notice her lover Purple Haze in one of the shadows.

"Oh my sweet stallion, it's done. Only been winged as it were, but you should've seen the look upon mistress’s face as her daughter died in her arms. When the press gets wind of it they'll have a field day," she said with a soft proud smile at the accomplishment of taking the life of purple Haze's daughter. She held him in no one arm, careful not to get the blood on her hand upon him. She sighed happily and content as he responded by hugging her tight the pain barely ignored, but the embrace made her happy.

"Now my dear before the carriage arrives please brace yourself on the wall and I'll take care of your wing," Purple Haze said in a sweet voice as Coruscant looked to her left seeing that the carriage had arrived.

It was in that moment that a silk ascot wound around her neck for the second time that day. Coursont was in a fight for her life though not from arrows and swords from the guards but from the Earth pony who she loved. She struggled against his strength trying to fly not caring of the pain in her wings, but he held her tight as her vision began to fade to black her hand slid from the stone wall leaving a bloody handprint behind.

Purple Haze held her a few moments more, making sure that the life was snuffed out entirely from the mare. Yes, she had done well, yes she worked for him and did exactly as he had tasked her to do. But she still had killed his daughter. So her life was his to take and he did so almost gleefully. He drug her lifeless body deeper into the alley where he hid it within a shadow. He calmly retied the silk Ascot around his neck, stripped her of the cloak she wore, and took the carriage that had stopped moments before in front of the alley.

Reality returned to four shocked, and teary-eyed faces as Braxton's bodyguards held hands over their mouths in sheer shock the pony in cold blood would murder another pony.

“How could he do that to her?"Asked Sonnet Sunrise being the first to speak.

“Why would he do that to her?" Midnight Aria said as she wept.

For their part Honey Song and Star song were beside themselves. In the past two days, their lives had changed so drastically and while this was another shocking development under their new employer neither was going to back down. Each mare began to comfort the two others who had not gone through Braxton's baptism of fire.

By this time Braxton was falling back into the shadows he let his eyes slip into the infrared spectrum the greys and blues and reds of heat sources became visible and allowed him to see further into the dark. There tucked into one of the darkest shadows lay a cold lump of gray devoid if heat. As Braxton neared the lifeless body her back facing him his keen nose picked up the scent of sulfur.

Braxton called upon a cantrip merely opening his hand and closing it is the lifeless body turned onto its back, confirming his suspicion what had been in the vial had been a sulfur-based acid. The mare's face had been dissolved down to the back of her mouth; her thigh had been dissolved down to the bone. Braxton returned to the group. Intercepting them on his way they looked up to him in bewilderment, before he merely asked quietly, "Mares, you saw the same thing I did. Do you want to go back there?"

The group stopped and thought for a moment before shaking their heads no. Braxton could only marvel at their innocence. Braxton Looked into his guards, and it was time to give them some new orders. "Honey Song, Star Song, I need the two of you to stay with me. Midnight Aria, Sonnet Sunrise, I need you two to get the Lunarian guards and Princess Luna herself."

The two guards saluted and went to complete their task. It was Star Song who looked at Braxton and said, "Thank you, Braxton."

Braxton merely nodded in acknowledgment.

Twinkle Star and Sapphire Moonlight were the first to show up. Followed by Princess Luna and two guards, who touched down merely moments later. Midnight Aria and Sonnet Sunrise were the last to enter the alleyway.

Good to see you again, Princess Luna," Braxton said noting Twinkle Star, and Sapphire Moonlight were sweating bullets.

“To you as well, Ambassador," Luna replied. "If we might ask, why did you request for our presence? Are the guards with you not enough?"

“No, princess ,this matter requires your direct attention since involves your little ponies," Braxton responded matter-of-fact ly.

“Then, by all means, lead on, and my guards and I will accompany you," Luna said.

"It may be best if your guards wait here, for what we are about to see is not easy," Braxton cautioned.

“Very well," Luna said, giving the signal for her Guards to stay put.

Before the pair went deeper into the alley, Braxton paused a moment, looked skyward and then to Luna. "On a more personal note, I've meant to tell you that the night starscapes look absolutely out of this world,"

"Thank you, Ambassador, not many are around to see them," Luna replied, the night thankfully hid the soft mounting blush of her cheeks.

Braxton once more put his game face back on and took Luna deeper into the alley.

Luna was grateful that Braxton had chosen to ask her guards to remain behind, for the horrible sight was not something that even she was prepared for. A mare without a face, burned away by acid and her cutie mark also burned away. The scene caught her by surprise, but she recovered quickly.

"Thank you for sparing my guards this awful sight," whispered Luna.

"Yyou are welcome."

"How did this happen and for what reason?" Luna asked.

"Thankfully she was already dead when the acid was poured on her," Braxton stated as he brought up the crystal ball. "This details the last moments of her life. Bring justice for her murder since she escaped justice for another murder."

Braxton let a little magic flow into the crystal ball. Luna watched as the life was snuffed out from the mare.

"She was the assassin?"Luna asked when the crystal ball had finished revealing to her what Braxton's party already witnessed.

"She was, yes. For what it is worth she saved your sister the bother of executing a coward," Braxton said before continuing. "However she turned humiliation into a tragedy for the family to escape justice."

"We will see to it that Coruscant is laid to rest with respect and that we have another reason to thank you for finding her," Luna said her thoughts already busy with how she was going to tell her sister this bit of bad news.

"Princess Luna, I know it is not my place to ask for your sister to keep quiet on this matter," Braxton asked.

This request took Luna by surprise. "Why keep quiet about it? Is there more to it?"

"Your insight does you credit, Princess Luna. I don't know who to trust within the day court fully, so my workaround is to act in night court," Braxton said with a nod.

Luna thought a moment. Her instincts were telling her that the war mage knew more than he was letting on. But he was entrusting her with this knowledge rather than working alone so she, in turn, would help him. "Very well. On that, I will cooperate with you,"

“Thank very much princess Luna," Braxton said, relieved that she was going to put trust in him.

"We had best make the body look presentable so that the Undertaker can pick up her body.”

Luna could only agree with Braxton and so the to set to work to get the body some simple dignity and wait for the Undertaker to arrive. Once done with their task, it was time to return to the castle. There would still be more to do and more to investigate. Braxton was looking forward to his four hours of much-needed rest.