Zippy Schmidt: Master Assassin

Story by Zippy Schmidt on SoFurry

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As the sun rose over the little farm town of Icewheat a hooded figure jumped from roof-to-roof. It was still early morning, so there were few citizens awake at the moment. He stood on the roof of the chapel watching the sun as it rose above the horizon, making it look like the rows of wheat that surrounded the town shine like it was made of ice. The figure lowered his hood, revealing an orange furred and black eared fox. He looked around as various furs began to wake up, lighting the lamps in their homes. More guards started slowly filling the streets, patrolling for thieves like him. He enjoyed this time of day the most. He couldn't blend in with any crowds, but he enjoyed watching the streets slowly fill. He sat down as he watched. He could spare a few minutes before he started his day. Furs slowly filed out of their homes and went about their days. Most went to work or school, while some went to the shops that had opened. He wasn't afraid to be seen. No one ever saw him, whether he was on the roof or on the street.

When the sun had risen he put his hood back up and climbed off of the roof. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he needed to eat. Eating meant he needed to get some money. He sighed, not sure how he was gonna get enough money to be able to eat. He wandered down the street, no one sparing him a second glance. It wasn't uncommon to see furs dressed like him. Of course, if they could see his folding blade, mini-crossbow, and dual clockwork pistols they would think otherwise. His black robe with red accents was similar to those of monks, the main difference being the red eagle logo on the front of his hood. He watched as a guard eyed him suspiciously. The guards had been looking for members of the Brotherhood, much like him. He lowered his head and walked faster. Now was not the time to be caught.

He rounded a few corners and stopped when he heard a commotion. A bit of searching lead him to an alleyway where two guards were hassling a young doe. He slowly walked into the alley. He had to intervene. He was trained to protect citizens. One of the guards heard him coming and looked at him. "Get out of here citizen! This doesn't concern you." The guards were covered in steel armour that covered most of their bodies. The joints were covered in a thin fabric, and their faces were uncovered.

"The Brotherhood is sworn to protect the citizens of Icewheat. You are hassling this citizen, who I'm sure has committed no crime, which means it does concern me. So stand down, or you will be taken out." The fox spoke in an even voice that he had spent years perfecting. "Now stand back or I will have to take action. You will let this doe go, or I will be forced to intervene." He stood motionless as the guards drew their swords. He sighed quietly as they got into a fighting position. The doe scooted further back so she wouldn't get caught on the fight. He stared at the guard swords in awe. They must have been new ones. The hand guard was gold, the grip was black leather, and the blades were steel. There was a small amount of ruby imbedded in the blade and emerald in the guard.

The guards charged him at the same time, which caused him to smirk. They obviously weren't familiar with the Brotherhood. He ducked to the side when they swung at him, drawing his folding sword and slicing at the nearest guards' knee. The fur went down with a yelp before being stabbed in the throat. The fox jumped back and a stiff breeze blew off his hood. His shining green eyes stared at the guard, his muzzle slowly turning to an evil grin. "The Brotherhood has trained me better than you. You cannot win. Even if you were to flee, I could kill you before you left the alley. My name is Zippy Schmidt, and my face is the last you will ever see." He drew his mini crossbow and shot the guard through the throat before he could even blink. The guard dropped like a sack of potatoes. Zippy looked over at the doe. "The Brotherhood has taken notice of you. Remain safe." She nodded and scurried away. He pulled his bolt from the dead guard and started searching them for anything useful. He found some medicine, a couple bullets, and a few gold coins. He could eat! He smiled and put his hood back up before leaving. He needed to find breakfast.

Zippy walked into the bakers' shop that was near his hideout. He got a muffin and left for the street. He had a target to take out. The hear guard for the district. He nibbled his muffin as he strolled through the streets. He saw the doe from earlier at a street vendor. He wouldn't disturb her. Not yet anyway.

He stared up at the guards HQ. It was a tall brick building with several guards patrolling around it. It was heavily fortified and there were too many guards inside to be able to sneak through the front door. He'd have to go in through a window. He blinked a few times and time seemed to slow down. It was something he had learned to do when he was young. If he focused enough, it would seem like time slowed down, which allowed him to survey the situation better. The guards carried clockwork pistols and rifles, which could create a problem if he was seen. Of course, he wouldn't be seen. He was better than that. He climbed on top of a near-by house and surveyed the area. There was a ladder at the side of the building, probably left over from a recent construction project. That could get him high enough so he could safely enter the building. But he'd still need to find the target. If he went in at night he wouldn't be seen. He sits down with his feet hanging off the building. He'd wait as long as it took. He was good at waiting.