The Assassins' Ascent

Ezio awoke to the sound of a rooster, it was dawn, and the sun shined orange rays through the window. The orange light caught Ezio's eyes, and they slowly opened. He slowly sat up, stretched, then yawned. His first though was "Ponies." were they still here? He'll just have to find when he goes downstairs. Ezio slipped on his assassin outfit, but didn't wear the hood. His combed black hair with silver streaks shined in the light. Below, Fluttershy awoke as well, many had considered her an "Early-bird." due to her waking up early. Her first task in the morning were feed the pets, usually when she was done it'd be noon. Ezio descended the stairs, and found five sleeping ponies, lying on mattresses. He sighed, "I guess it was not a dream..." he thought to himself. He noticed Fluttershy wasn't sleeping, instead she was in the kitchen, cooking something with her oven. He greeted her with a, "Good morning." which happened to startle her. She quietly replied, "Good morning," but Ezio was able to catch it. He carefully walked over the sleeping ponies, trying his best not to wake them up. He arrived at the kitchen, and saw Fluttershy pull out a tray with a cloth that was in her mouth. "Isn't that hot?" Ezio asked, Fluttershy put down the tray, "Very..." she replied quietly. He chuckled and sat down on a small chair, then shifted to a comfortable position. "Do you have any tea?" Ezio asked. Fluttershy nodded, and gestured him what kind of tea he wants by showing flavors. He read each one, blueberry, raspberry, green tea, black tea, flower, mountain flower, dandelions. Each one started to get stranger, and there was a flavor for strange. He asked for black tea and Fluttershy nodded, she poured water in a kettle, turned on the stove, and poured the powder. She stirred the water and trotted into the living room, "Wake up, everypony." she said gently. A few eyes fluttered opened, then some yawns, and eventually, they fully woke up and arose to their hooves. "Mornin'." Applejack said while stretching. "Sup?" Rainbow Dash said while stretching her wings. "Happy morning!" Pinkie Pie yelled, her mane frizzy, and puffed all over the place. "Good morning." Twilight said, her mane frizzy as well. "Good morning, darlings." Rarity said, her mane still in perfect condition. She levitated a mirror in front of her, and gasped very loudly, "My mane!" a single hair was out of place. "Fluttershy, dear, Where do you keep your hair brush?" Rarity asked frantically. "Well, I keep it in my second drawer in my dresser-" Fluttershy was interrupted by Rarity's white blur, a speed Ezio has never seen before. "Your tea is done." Fluttershy said to Ezio, a little louder than a whisper. Ezio walked to the kettle, resting on the stove. "Where are the cups?" Ezio asked, Fluttershy pointed with her hoof, to a cupboard in the corner of the kitchen. Ezio grabbed a yellow mug, it had a carving of three pink butterflies, similar to the picture on Fluttershy's flank. He didn't notice until now, but all six of them had a different picture on their flanks. "What are ya lookin' at?" Applejack asked Ezio, who stopped looking immediately, "Nothing." Ezio replied while pouring tea into his cup. "Ezio," Twilight said, "We're going to see the princess." Ezio took a sip from his cup.

"Why?" he asked, taking another sip.

"Well, you are the first human seen in a very long time, so long that most ponies think your race is a myth!" Twilight exclaimed.

"There's more of you?" Ezio asked, feeling a little dizzy.

"Yes, and I believe the princess is the only one who's been here long enough to actually see a human before." Twilight said.

"Princess you say?" Ezio said, "I'm not good with royalty."

"Come on! It won't be so bad!" Twilight pleaded, making a face that made Ezio reconsider. He sighed, "Fine." Twilight thanked Ezio five times until he interrupted her, "On one condition!" Twilight looked at him, "What is that?"

"Let me finish my tea..."

Applejack moved beside Twilight, "Are ya sure that's a good idea, Twi?" she whispered.

"I'm sure, if there's anyone old enough to know what a human is, it's got to be the princess!" Twilight whispered beck.

Walking into Ponyville. Well, sneaking into Ponyville. Twilight warned him that he might cause a commotion, because he was a human. Ezio understood her, he was an assassin after all. He walked in alleyways, jumped across rooftops, he even used a box to move around in. While jumping across rooftops, Ezio almost missed the tree/library/house Twilight told him about. He saw a balcony in jump range, he sprints towards the edge of the roof, jumped, reached out his hands, and grabbed on the balcony. A miracle it didn't break, he hoisted himself of the railing, and knocked on the glass doors. A purple reptilian creature opened the door, yelled, then closed the doors immediately. Ezio put his head against the wall, and listened. "I don't wanna open it! What if it eats me?" a voice of a small boy came from inside. "He's not going to eat you Spike!" he heard Twilight's voice, "Besides, we need to send a letter to Celestia, now open that DOOR!" Ezio backed away from the door, and there stood the reptilian, Spike. He looked awfully scared, he was trembling with fear! Ezio let himself in, seeing how scared Spike was. Spike was big as his knee, while ponies were around his waist. "Spike! Get over here!" Twilight yelled from downstairs. Spike snapped out of his trance, and rushed downstairs. "Okay," he said, grabbing a quill and scroll, "What do I write?"

"Dear Princess Celestia, I have recently discovered that a human has been found in Equestria, by me. Well, me and my friends found him hiding under Fluttershy's bed. If I am correct, you, Celestia, are the only one that knows about humans. This human's name is, Ezio, he seems friendly. I eagerly await your reply. From your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

"Twi-light... Spar-kle! There!" Spike said.

"Send it." Twilight ordered to her assistant. Spike held the letter up, inhaled, then exhaled a green flame that engulfed the scroll. Ezio stared at the letter that disappeared, "I thought you were going to send it! Not burn it to a crisp." he said. Twilight laughed then said, "He did send it, Spike uses that flame to send messages." Ezio looked dumfounded. Twilight sighed, "Spike has two types of flames, one that actually burns things to a crisp, the other one sends messages." Ezio thought for a second, flames that sends messages... Doesn't seem possible. Talking magical ponies didn't seem possible either, so he was able to agree with it. Spike let out a burp, then a flame came out, and a scroll landed on the ground. Spike grabbed the scroll and cleared his throat,

"Dear Twilight Sparkle, if you are speaking the truth, than you must bring the human to Canterlot Castle immediately. I suggest you bring your friends as well. I'm sorry that I can't bring any transport for you, you'll have to take a train. No questions asked, this is urgent. From, Princess Celestia." Spike finished reading the letter.

"Sounds important." Twilight said.

"Indeed." Ezio agreed.

Celestia stood beside her window in her room, staring down at Ponyville. "I guess Discord isn't the only enemy that has returned." The Sun Goddess spoke to herself. She turned around to look at her room, marble white floor and walls, a golden chandelier hung in the center of the ceiling, her queen sized bed with red blankets and sheets, and a portrait of her and Luna, standing together on top of the castle, smiling. Celestia smiled at the picture, then continued looking at Ponyville.

"Waiting for a train, whatever the hell that is." Ezio thought to himself, sitting on a bench. It was in the after-noon, the sun was high, and the colors were brighter than ever. The other ponies who passed by him were either confused, scared, or just ran away screaming. It was amazing to see ponies in different variation of colors, some Ezio had never seen before. Twilight was finished talking to the ticket administrator, and trotted towards Ezio with seven golden tickets. "Alright I've got the tickets for the next train! Which should be here in about..." she turned to the clock on the wall, "Ten minutes! Grab some snacks if you're hungry."

"No thank you." Ezio replied, and shook his hand. Twilight shrugged, "If you say so." she trotted to where her friends were, a snack bar. Ezio looked at them, talking, laughing, and smiling. He hasn't seen this much happiness in many, many years. A pony wearing a cloak sat beside Ezio. "Psst." The mysterious pony grabbed Ezio's attention. "What?" Ezio said.

"Do NOT go on the train." the pony said cautiously.

"Why is that?" Ezio asked, now suspicious.

"You have been warned." the pony vanished into smoke, leaving nothing behind. Ezio looked on the rooftops for anything running across them, he's seen this trick before. There wasn't a pony, nothing but birds flying. He heard a noise, metal creaking, then a large whistle. "The train is here!" Twilight shouted to Ezio. Ezio looked to where the noise was coming from, a large, metal machine, appeared. "That's a train?" Ezio asked.

"Yup! And it's our ride." Applejack said. The train came to a complete stop, then whistled again. "All aboard!" The train driver yelled. Several ponies boarded the train, trying to stay away from Ezio. He boarded the train, walked towards the back, and sat down. The ponies around him exited their seats and sat as far away as possible. Ezio looked out the window and looked at the mountain, snow covered the land where they were going, except their destination. A couple rows ahead, the mane six were talking. "He looks kinda lonely, don'tcha think, Twi?" Applejack said.

"Yeah he kinda does." Twilight agreed.

"I'll go sit with him!" Pinkie Pie volunteered.

"Go ahead." Twilight said. Pinkie rushed to the seat, sat down, looked at Ezio, and smiled ear to ear. Ezio looked at her, flinched, then gave an awkward smile. Rainbow Dash moved beside Twilight, "I don't trust him, Twilight." she said.

"You don't have to." Twilight replied.

"So-o," Pinkie said to Ezio, "Do you like cupcakes?"

"Cupcakes?" Ezio asked.

"Yes cupcakes!" Pinkie shouted, "They're like, the most delicious things in the world!"

"It seems possible." Ezio said. (or in modern times, "Seems legit.")

"Did you hear that?" Twilight said. A bump came from the roof of the train.

(Play This For Awesomeness!)

Hooded ponies bursted through the window. "Bandits!" Rainbow Dash yelled. There was six of them, each one going after a specific target. "Stay here." he told Pinkie Pie. Ezio saw Fluttershy, defenseless and scared. A bandit was closing in on her, Ezio charged the bandit, knocking him away from her. Ezio punched the hooded pony in the cheek, he returned it. The pony kicked Ezio off him, sending him flying. The bandit charged him, Ezio countered with his knee. The bandit was unconscious, Ezio picked him up, and put him in the restroom. Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash were having no trouble defending themselves, Rarity, however, was flailing her arms at the attacker. "Stay away you ruffian!" she screamed. Ezio ran at the bandit, punched him, and sent him flying. The bandit arose and shook his head, he growled at Ezio. Ezio put his arms in a defensive position, the bandit tried to punch him, Ezio moved to the side, and punched the attacker in the back of the head. Two down, four to go. Ezio picked up the body, and dropped it in the restroom. "Help!" Twilight shouted, pinned down on the floor by a bandit. Ezio tackled him, sending both of them flying. They slammed against a wall, the bandit punched Ezio, he returned it, the bandit tried to punch Ezio but missed, Ezio grabbed his head, and slammed it against the wall. Three down, three to go. Ezio picked up the pony, then got tackled. Ezio dropped the body, and fell on the floor. A bandit stood above him, punched Ezio several times, Ezio moved his head, and the bandit's hoof slammed against the floor. A howl of pain came out of the bandit's mouth, Ezio punched him off. Four down, two to go. Ezio picked up both of the bodies, and put them in the restroom. "Ah need some dog gone help!" Applejack yelled. Ezio ran at the bandit, but was cut off by Rainbow Dash. She tackled the bandit and slammed him against the wall, knocking him unconscious. "Ha! Beat that!" Rainbow taunted Ezio. One of the bandits opened the window, "I'll be back human!" he shouted, then jumped off.

(Stop music)

"Well that's surprising." Ezio said.

"I'll say, this rarely happens in Equestria." Twilight said.

"Where's Pinkie!?" Rarity shouted.

"In here!" A muffled voice came from the cabinets, one opened, and Pinkie popped out.

"How can you fit in there?" Ezio asked. Pinkie Pie shrugged.

"Let's just be prepared for next time." Applejack said, everyone nodded.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry if the fight scene was a bit rushed... It's almost five and I want to get this posted and get some sleep...