Assassin's Trot

Year 1454, Age of the Sisters, Midsummer.

"Dear Olivia,

how it pains me to say this but...I cannot risk it. The life of little foal...the life of my wife...everything I hold near and dear to my heart! I understand that the dangers are as great as they are numerous, but I cannot take the chance of a move to Stalliongrad. The harsh winters would be too much for young Whoover to bear...he would not make it. Besides, it is better if I keep the Tempmare Order busy here looking for me while the rest of you make your escape. I...have talked with my wife about the possibility of us being found out...and it is something that she understands. I will be writing my last will and testament with my wife shortly after I send this letter to you and Rainene, so that nothing goes wrong or astray. Should the worst happen before Whoover comes of age, I would ask that you keep watch over him until he is ready. Until such time arises, I will leave a note and my belongings to him in case things go more smoothly than I predict.

I pray that this is not the last time we will have contact with one another dear Olivia, but the Tempmares are eager for blood. Send me a letter back as soon as you receive this, so that I know that our message lines are still secure.

Be safe Olivia, and remember:

Ничто не истинно, Все позволено.

- The Doctor"

The night was young and beautiful in the city of Canterlot. The breeze was gentle and calm, soothing like the coos of birds to their little ones. Above, in the clear night sky, Luna's full moon hung perfectly with its glow bringing a graceful shimmer across the marble buildings that made up the fair city.

But tonight...tonight was anything but beautiful for a lone figure standing atop a high, narrow, wooden platform overlooking Troterius Park in East Canterlot. This figure did not move...did not shift...but simply breathed, like a living statue. The figure's hot breath quietly streamed out of his nose, swirling gently in the air before disappearing.

"Vill this be all...?" asked a Russicoltian and timid voice from behind the figure, the voice of an adolescent colt who looked chilled and icy. Whether the young one was freezing from the chill of the air or the fear of standing before such a murderous...yet amazing creature, he could not say.

From the figure, a deep colt's voice answered with a light whisper "Yes...Alenko I believe that will be all." The colt turned slowly on the narrow platform, his white robes hugging him slightly and his leg cape shifting slightly from the movement. He was armored with leather greaves on each leg, carefully hidden by the large robes of white that adorned most of the colt's body. Around his middle rested a belt with two small pouches hanging from them, with the folds of his robes opening to reveal a velvety red color. He wore only a simple necklace with a leather pouch around his neck, and a hardened shoulder pad on his right side near his neck. His hood was drawn up over his head, his eyes invisible to the young Alenko. The colt's eyes were drawn to the symbol sewn into the rear of the robes, where the older colt's flank was. A mark of red, like blood, which consisted of what looked like a nearly completed 'A' with its middle bar missing, and a wavy line stretching underneath it. He had often seen a symbol like that when he was smaller...and wherever it was seen, the flow of blood followed.

"I vill deliver this letter quickly, I promise you sir!" squeaked the colt to the robed pony in front of him, the young one staring in fear at the cold frown the robed pony continue to give, his vaporous breath continuing to lightly dance upon the night air. A sudden twitch out of the robed pony's lips was enough to give the young Alenko a near heart attack at first, but when a small smile formed on the robed pony's lips, the foal felt his tension slip away, and his muscles relax.

Alenko stiffened yet again however as the robed pony put a gentle hoof on his shoulder and whispered "Be at ease little one...there is no cause for you to chill like the air in my presence."

The young colt could feel the thick padding of a gauntlet from underneath the robe...knowing its true identity to be something much more darker. "Of...of course Master Whoberius, it is just..." he struggled, his lungs aching from the cold of the air as he spoke "You are...if you don't mind me saying...very scary."

At this, Whoberius let out a light chuckle, keeping his lips pressed together in a tiny smile as he took his away from Alenko's shoulder and whispered "Yes I...suppose there quite a few who would call me such. You have no cause to fear me though, dear Alenko. However...I would fear Miss Olivia's wrath were she to receive this letter late..." he trailed off his sentence with a light-hearted warning tone, making Alenko gulp and shake slightly on his hooves.

"N...no sir!" Alenko gasped, turning towards the opposite way, facing the many rooftops of East Canterlot he would have to climb "I vould never risk upsetting dear Lady! I vill go at once, da?"

"I will take you across the more...unfriendly part of the city before I let you go on your own, ok?" Whoberius whispered, quietly stepping off of the platform and onto the red painted roof. His ears perked under his robes as the light screech of an eagle reached his ears, drawing a tight grimace out of him for a moment before receiving a nod from Alenko. "Alright then...allons-y..."

The two turned towards the east, beginning their quick, silent gallop across the rooftops. Alenko stayed as close as he could to Whoberius without stepping on his robes or bumping into him. He was surprised at just the sheer skill and stamina Whoberius possessed as he moved across the roofs, looking as if he was flying or gliding across them with wings. Alenko watched as Whoberius ran straight towards a high wall, taking quick strides and leaping towards it. His front right and back left hooves hit the stone first, pushing off and giving him a good height to grip onto the edge of the wall. He pulled himself up quickly, turning and dipping a hoof down to help Alenko up. The young colt took Whoberius's hoof firmly, squeaking as he was pulled up quickly by the robed pony. Whoberius turned back towards the east, peering carefully over the other side of the thick wall before whispering "Hold on...this will only take a second."

Alenko peered over the edge and took a sudden intake of breath, holding it as he spotted a lone Lunar Guard patrolling the small roof below them. His armor was the usual make...but what was different was the ruby color of stripes that adorned his flank armor. "Lunar Shine..." Alenko whispered to himself as Whoberius locked his eyes on the guard. "Vut are we going to d-" Alenko started, hardly noticing that Whoberius had already taken a leap off of the building towards the guard below. The young colt stared in awe as a long blade suddenly shot out from under the robes covering Whoberius's front left hoof. It emerged with the perfect pitch of metallic sound, ethereal but deadly.

Whoberius descended quickly, landing on the back of the guard and hooking a leg around to push up against his mouth. With the surprised guard silenced, Whoberius lodged his hoof-blade into the back of his foe's neck, drawing a gurgle out of him before he fell limp underneath him. His blade retracted with a soft 'Schick!', the robed pony quietly pushing the body up against the side of the wall and whispering "Riposa in pace...". After the body was secured, Whoberius looked up slowly and motioned to Alenko that it was safe to come down.

"Alright..." Whoberius whispered as Alenko hopped down. "You go across two more rooftops, and then down into the alley where you will find a sewer drain. You go down the ladder and north and you will he met by a trusted friend. Ask her 'when does the violist weep?', and if she answers 'It isn't a violin, it is a cello...', then it is safe to go with her. Do you understand all that?" Alenko nodded quietly, his wide eyes still semi-focused on the body of the slain guard. "Then go," whispered Whoberius quickly "go, and be safe dear Alenko. May the eagle carry you swiftly."

Whoberius watched as Alenko quickly departed, the older colt letting out a quiet sigh and ensuring that he had gotten over the rooftops safety on his own first before turning back to the west. He quickly began his retreat towards the West District, leaping from rooftop to rooftop as patrols of Lunar Shine Guards moved about below.

There are things you should know about me...but what you should know, I cannot tell you. My life has been one of shadows and mystery...as my father's was, and his father before me.

The colt quickly galloped across two thin sets of cables, passing right over a guard who was too busy letting out a loud yawn to notice the shadow passing right over him.

The only thing I can really tell you, is that I am at war. I am at war...and my son and wife are casualties because of it. Everyday I put their lives at risk when I venture out of the door with a mission...a mission to purge Equestria of the corrupt evil that has seeped deep into the roots and foundation of Equestria.

Whoberius turned his head, looking behind him to make sure nopony was watching. When he was satisfied that it was safe, he slipped into the opening of the second story window of a brick colored house. It was a simple enough house from the outside, built in the typical middle-class style of West Canterlot.

Everyday...my son asks me where I am going...where am I venturing off to. Every time I answer him with 'Daddy is going on a wonderful adventure to save the world...and if you want to help Daddy one day...you have to keep up with your studies and work hard!'. Heh...my wife always laughed at that.

The colt quietly opened the second door on the left, down the hall from the stairs...peering quietly inside. It was the room of a young foal's room that Whoberius looked into, a small smile on his face as he beheld his young son, a Pegasus, sleeping soundly in his bed. He was curled up with his favorite 'Fleetfoot' doll, his nightlight gleaming brightly. Whoberius let out a quiet sigh as he closed the door to his son's room, heading to his own room with a hurried pace.

This life...this...this war, it's a sacrifice I have to endure for the betterment of the world. It is something I have to face in order to provide my son and his son and his son with a peaceful future...a future where he will not have to run around through the night with tools of death hidden in his armor.

Whoberius opened the door to his room slowly, being careful not to make any noise as he spotted his adoring wife asleep in his bed. He smiled as he quietly walked along the foot of the bed to the far bookcase along the east wall, watching her silently. Her gray coat shimmered in the moonlight cast through the window, her blonde mane gleaming in a similar fashion. He always found it funny how their son looked almost identical to him, minus the wings, and almost nothing like her...except for her beautiful, beautiful yellow eyes.

There is no choice...no reasoning...no denying my destiny. I know what I am...and I know what I have to do. If nopony stands up against the corruption...it will continue to fester, and I WILL NOT stand by and have my son grow up in a world filled with fear and death around every corner, and across every street and rooftop.

With the small tug of a green colored book called 'The Creed of the 7th Midsummer', the middle section of the bookcase moved back and slid over, revealing a small study room that housed an empty armor rack, several opened parchments on a tiny desk, a few empty weapon racks, and an open chest. After a light sigh, Whoberius slipped inside, the bookcase closing in behind him.

Three tenants that myself and the last of my breed must follow...tenants that I hope to teach to my son one day. Real lessons besides the simple math and english required by the school for him to learn. Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent...hide in plain sight...and never compromise the Bronyhood...these laws that have been passed onto me...I will pass onto my son.

The bookcase opened once more, and what emerged was a middle-aged colt with a medium length, brown colored mane that curved backwards along his neck and stood up straight. His coat was a light brown, his cutie-mark that of a simple hourglass. His eyes were a soft sapphire, eyes that lingered over his beautiful wife as he slipped quietly into the bed behind her, pulling her close with loving care. The low sound of her moaning from tiredness and the whisper of "Whooves..." was the only thing to escape her lips, the colt, Whoberius, Whooves, smiling and watching the bookcase reseal itself.

For one day...when my time is over, and it will be over....my son will have to take up the mantle of his ancestors and fight this bloody, savage war. Against the Tempmare Order, he will have to stand. I pray and pray and pray...that this time may never come...but I know deep in my heart it will have to...

Whooves sighed into the back of his lover's neck, closing his eyes and finally stepping away from the ruined world he had only just been running through...and into the soft, loving world of his lover's embrace and her sweet dreams.

But until that day comes...I will simply do what I always do...and be who I always am. My name, is Doctor Whooves...and I....

I...am an Assassin.

Wolokai Kurr presents...

Assassin's Trot