Master Thief Dragon

One afternoon at Canterlot High School, Spike was teaching his class as always, until the school bell rang, "Well, class, that concludes today's lesson. We'll pick it up tomorrow. So be sure to study because it will be on test." Spike told the students, who were collecting their bags before heading out.

"Goodbye, Prof." Rainbow told him before walking out.

"We'll see ya tomorrow." Applejack followed Rainbow.

"Goodbye, Professor." Fluttershy told him.

"Have a lovely day, darling." Rarity said sweetly with lidded eyes, making Spike blush.

"See ya soon, Prof!" Pinkie beamed, as she skipped out the classroom.

"Have a good day... Spike." Twilight finished, as she joined her friends.

Spike watched the girls leave, while feeling deeply concerned for their safety. But he knew Luna made sure to keep them monitored at all times should anyone try to go after either of them. So he started packing away his papers before taking his leave as well.

Outside the school, the girls were discussing their plans, "Anyone wanna come over to my place and binge watch Daring Do?"

The girls voiced approval, before Pinkie answered, "Sorry, I can't. I have to work double shift at Sugarcube Corner. We got so many orders to fill and not too many of the other workers can come in."

"What a shame to see you having to work so hard like that, Pinkie." Rarity expressed her concern.

"It's no biggy wiggy. I love helping others."

"Well, don't exert yourself." Twilight warned her.

"I won't. See you later, girls." Pinkie hurried off for Sugarcube Corner, while the others headed for Rainbow Dash's place.

As Pinkie was skipping along to work, a figure had been spying on her from a roof by using both his hands as a telescope. The figure was a mime wearing black slip on shoes, black slacks with suspenders, a short sleeved black and white striped shirt, and a black beret on his head. He then pulled out a cell and sent a text that consisted of different emojis which spelled out a code to Tirek on what he was up to.

He watched as he received a reply from Tirek reading, "You better succeed in bringing me Dragon, Masque. If you don't I will see to it any pain you mime yourself feeling will be real!" The mime identified as Masque cringed before heading off to do his job.

Later at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie was busily helping the Cakes fill orders for customers or ones for delivery. She was humming to herself, while doing her job, until she saw who else but Spike take a stool by the counter. Smiling brightly she zipped to the counter, and greeted him, "Hi, Spike. What brings you here?"

"Decided to treat myself to a triple flavor milkshake. After a long day of teaching I can't think of anything better." Spike answered.

"Neither can I. One triple flavor milkshake coming up," Pinkie got to work, and before Spike knew it, he saw a milkshake composed of the three flavors chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry perfectly blended together with whipped cream and a cherry on top, "There ya go."

"Pinkie, I'll never figure out how you can work so fast," Spike said in disbelief, before enjoying his milkshake, "Ah, perfection as usual."

"Thanks. So how's the teaching life going for you?" Pinkie asked, as she worked the counter.

"You should know. I have to deal with your insane shenanigans all day." Spike reminded her.

"They're really more like hare-brained schemes."

"If they were hare-brained they'd be clever."

Pinkie gasped, "Are you saying I'm not clever with my pranks? Well, you, Professor, insult me." she pouted.

"Come on, Pinkie, you know I meant I don't like dealing with them during school. After hours I'm all for them." Spike replied.

Pinkie smiled, "That's why you're more fun after school than you are during it."

Spike pouted, "And you claim I say mean things sometime," the two just laughed at each others joking. Spike finished his milkshake and left some money on the counter, before sliding her a five dollar bill, "Thanks for great service."

"And thank you for being a loyal customer." Pinkie winked.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Pinkie." Spike said, as he got up and took his leave.

"Bye, Spike!" Pinkie called.

An hour later, Pinkie had just finished her shift, and spoke to her bosses, "Ok, I'm taking off."

"See you tomorrow, Pinkie." Mrs. Cake told her.

"Bye." Pinkie walked out the door and skipped off for home.

As Pinkie skipped down the block, she saw Masque pretending he had his hands pressed up against an invisible window. She walked by the mime and giggled, "So realistic." she continued on, as Masque started mimicking Pinkie's walking at her side as if he was her shadow.

When Pinkie noticed this, she started walking faster. Masque kept up with the pace, no matter how much faster or slower Pinkie began moving and quickly switching between speeds. Finally Pinkie stopped as did the mime.

"So you think you can mimic me? Well, try and keep up," Pinkie began doing several funny poses with Masque copying her like a reflection, "Wow, you're good."

Masque nodded, as he started miming he was building a box and motioned for Pinkie to step inside, "Ok. I'll play along." Pinkie walked into the box, and Masque pretended to close it and seal it shut.

Pinkie pretended her hands were pressed up against a flat surface, "Oh, no. I'm trapped in a box. However will I get out?" she asked dramatically, as Masque pretended to lean against the invisible box, "Well, this was fun, but I better go," Pinkie began walking only for her to bump into some invisible force, "Ow! What just happened?" she started feeling around and gasped as if she really was surrounded by walls, "Hey, what's going on here? Do you literally have me trapped in a box?"

Masque nodded in confirmation, "Well, it ain't funny. So let me out of here!" she demanded.

The mime shook his head before acting out sign language to which Pinkie began translating, "I cannot. I have been hired to capture you to lure Dragon out of hiding so I can take him to my employer and collect my reward. Wait, you're using me to get to Dragon?' Masque nodded, "So it's just like with Rainbow Dash and Rarity! I have to get out of here!" she tried ramming at the invisible walls.

Masque turned and began texting emojis to Tirek to let him know of his progress. As he was writing up his message, he heard a familiar voice spoke over his shoulder, "Wow, you text using only emojis?"

Masque jumped as he saw Pinkie standing right by his side. He looked back between her and the spot he set up his box while giving her a confused look, "Oh, that? It was easy to get out once I found the soft spot. Well, I gotta run." she began running, only for Masque to mime himself whirling a lasso around before launching it and caught Pinkie in it.

"Whoa!" she gasped, before looking back at Masque who started tugging her back. Pinkie was literally moving as if she was being tugged back to the mime, "Well, nice lassoing, partner. But fortunately I've been in a situation like this before when Applejack tried her rope tricks on me," she wiggled her way out of the lasso, once again shocking Masque, "I get the feeling you're not very good at this keeping me a prisoner thing." Masque frowned angrily at Pinkie besting his tricks.

Using his ability, Masque managed to get Pinkie into an invisible sack and mimed himself securing the invisible sack heavily with invisible chains and locks making it harder to escape, "Well, this is a bummer." Pinkie pouted. Masque proceeded to tug the invisible sack causing Pinkie to slide across the sidewalk.

Meanwhile at Spike's place, Luna was at her monitors keeping an eye on things. After sipping some coffee from her mug she looked at a monitor seeing five of the girls were in one location, while Pinkie was in another.

"Hmm. I wonder what Pinkie is doing so far away from the girls of all days?" she wondered, as she hacked the security cameras nearby her location and saw Pinkie cured up while being dragged along via invisible rope by a mime, "What in the?" she asked in confusion before grabbing her cellphone to make a call.

Meanwhile, Spike was currently at a coffee shop in the city before hearing his phone ring. He pulled it out and answered it, "Yes? What's up, Luna?"

"Master, I've been monitoring the girls just as you said, but I'm afraid Pinkie Pie might be in trouble."

Spike was suddenly concerned, "Trouble, how?"

"I've pinpointed her on Hayseed St. it looks like she's being tugged away by a mime."

Spike raised a brow, "Are you absolutely sure she's in trouble and not just goofing around with street performers?"

"Judging from her face and struggling it doesn't look that way." Luna answered, as she watched the monitor.

"All right, I'll get right over there," Spike said, as he got up and started running, "Mimes?" he asked himself, "Tirek, you really know how to pick 'em." he ran into an alley way and appearing on the roof of one of the buildings was Dragon who set out to help his friend.

Back with Pinkie, she continued to struggle out of Masque's trick, "Come on, Mimey. You can't take me hostage. I'm a party planning girl. And I have so many parties booked for months. Imagine all the disappointed people who won't have the parties I made specially for them." she pleaded.

Masque just ignored her, as he continued on. As he dragged Pinkie right around an old rec center, Dragon dropped in before them, "Hey, Clown. That's not your property."

"Dragon!" Pinkie cheered.

Masque smirked, as Dragon continued, "So mind telling me who you are if you even can?"

Masque whipped out a card and flung it to Dragon who caught it. He looked seeing it was a business card, "Masque Silencieux. Well, Masque, I'm gonna ask you nicely to let the girl go. Cause if you don't I won't ask nicely again."

"It's true, he won't." Pinkie vouched.

Masque got into a defense position, as did Dragon. The thief came at the mime and threw a punch only for the mime to copy it and their fists connected. Dragon tried another punch only for Masque to mimic it again. The more blows Dragon tried to land, Masque just kept copying him like a reflection. Dragon jumped back and spoke to himself, "Great, the old mirror trick. This is why I hate mimes."

Masque looking like he wasn't breaking a sweat pretended to peel something. Dragon rushed to the mime to strike faster, but Masque tossed something to the ground. When the thief put his foot to a point on the ground he ended up slipping and fell on his back, "What the hell just happened?"

"You slipped on a banana peel." Pinkie answered.

"Don't tell me his tricks are realistic somehow?" Dragon asked while getting up.

"How else would you explain me actually being trapped like this?" Pinkie asked rhetorically.

Masque then mimed himself tossing something up and catching it before throwing it at Dragon. Suddenly a cut appeared in his coat and a cut appeared on his shoulder, "AH!" he gripped his shoulder, "I actually felt that knife? What's going on?"

Luna spoke to him through his earpiece, "This mime obviously specializes in mind games. He's able to make you mentally and physically feel all his tricks."

"A mime capable of making his gags feel real? Now this just might be the most dangerous opponent yet." Dragon replied, as he kept trying to attack Masque who still used the mirror trick to copy the thief.

Masque jumped back and pulled something out while holding onto it with both hands. He spun around while pretending to swing his weapon that Dragon like before felt it and rolled across the ground, "Master, what hit you?" came Luna's voice.

"Giant mallet." he groaned.

"Master, at this rate you'll never defeat him and rescue Pinkie." Luna warned him.

"Any suggestions, because I'm open for them."

"Think like a mime. You won't be able to fight him normally, so you'll have to fight Masque like a mime."

"Fight like a mime, huh?" Dragon asked, as a plan was formulating in his head.

He went back to fight, as Masque prepared himself. To the mime's surprise, Dragon started acting like a mime by doing the hands on invisible glass wall trick. Masque curiously started mimicking him like before. Dragon switched from doing basic mime tricks and pretended to put on his own act which Masque started copying.

Pinkie who was watching from the side started explaining it, "Ok, Dragon looks like he's picking something. What's he picking? Oh! Oh! Looks like peppers!" she noticed Dragon giving a very hot reaction, "And it looks like they're ghost peppers. Spicy!"

Dragon mimed himself making a ghost pepper gumbo, before pretending to taste it and licked his lip. He pretended to offer Masque a taste, and the mime who was caught up in the act agreed to taste it too. Masque mimed himself taking a bite of the gumbo. At first his reaction was normal, until his face started turning red and sweat bullets streamed down his face causing his makeup to run. Dragon and Pinkie could literally see smoke coming out of his ears. The mime mimed himself screaming as he ran to the nearest fountain and drank water to quell the burning sensation in his mouth.

When Masque had enough water he turned and saw Dragon waving at him. The mime was prepared to attack but suddenly jerked back as if his face his something solid. He put his hands up and felt he was encased in something. The thief spoke to him smugly, "While you were busy dealing with your heartburn I managed to turn the tables and put you in a box of my own. Jokes on you, clown!" he laughed, as Masque pounded on the invisible walls of his prison.

Pinkie applauded, even though she was still trapped, "All right, Dragon!"

Dragon went to Pinkie and mimed himself undoing all the chains and locks placed around her sack before pretending to open it up, "You're free now." he told her.

Pinkie found herself able to stand up again, and stretched, "Oh! What a relief. I was getting cramped in there."

Dragon motioned to Masque and spoke, "Pray you never decide to become a mime, Ms. Pie."

"I would never do that. Being silent is not my nature." she smiled.

"Clearly." Dragon agreed.

"So what're you going to do with him?" Pinkie asked about Masque.

"I know some people that can handle this guy. In the meantime you better get on out of here."

"Right. Thanks again, Dragon!" Pinkie declared before zipping off.

Dragon spoke to Luna, "Luna, make a call to the boys at Argon Heights Asylum. I think they'll be wanting this guy contained there."

"On it, Master." Dragon nodded, as he took his leave.

At Tirek's place, the mobster had just been informed of Masque's failure by his secretary, "That stupid clown! I should have my head examined just for trusting him!" he turned to his secretary, "Get me some aspirin now!"

"Yes, sir." his secretary answered, before leaving the room.

The next day, Pinkie was walking with her friends to school while explaining what happened yesterday, "I can't believe you almost got captured by a mime." Rainbow said in disbelief.

"I know. That would've been so humiliating." Pinkie agreed.

"But Dragon showed up and defeated him?" Fluttershy asked.

"Uh-huh. He out-mimed that mime." Pinkie laughed.

"My suspicions are correct," Twilight sighed, "We are being targeted."

"This is just so horrible." Rarity said in worry.

"Relax, girls. Have you forgotten Dragon saved me, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow reminded them.

"Yeah. Dragon's looking out for us." Pinkie smiled.

"Or, spying on us," Applejack voiced her opinion, "You think it's coincidence he somehow knows when and where you gals were being attacked?"

"He is a master thief, Applejack," Rarity reminded her, "Surely he has his own source of connections."

"Regardless, either way we're being watched by someone. I don't know about you, but I don't feel comfortable with any one of them spying on us. While I'll betcha Dragon's watching us right now somewhere."

"Hey, girls!" came a voice, as Spike rode by on his bike.

"Hi, Professor." They greeted.

"Better get to school before the bell, before I start issuing tardy slips!" Spike playfully warned them.

"Oh, my gosh. He's right. Let's pick up the pace!" Twilight gasped, as they started rushing for school.

Spike smiled knowing no matter what the danger or whoever crosses paths with him he would protect his students, no, his friends no matter what the cost.